St Peters RFC 23 Bedwas RFC 48
WRU Challenge Cup, 1st Round, Saturday 23 September 2023.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
It was almost a case of déjà vu as the players of St Peters and Bedwas served up another entertaining fixture, this time at the Minster Road home of ‘The Rocks’. This time though it was eight tries, three yellow cards but thankfully no red cards.
On a pleasant afternoon in the Capital both sides started full of running, Bedwas thought they’d opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Hamish Anderson (who had a fine game) crossed in the corner only to be pulled back for a foot out of play.
Nonetheless a minute later Bedwas were in front as Adam Williams ran in for a well worked try, James Dixon added the extras. The same duo combined to double the Bedwas lead 10 minutes later as Williams shrugged off a couple of would-be tacklers to cross close to the posts. Dixon slotted the conversion.
Two minutes later the home side notched their first points of the afternoon courtesy of a Che Thomas penalty goal.
Again, Bedwas responded almost immediately. Dale Rogers broke through, and his pop-up pass allowed Rhys Morgans to gather the ball at pace and crash through for a try. Dixon added the conversion.
With almost 30 minutes played St Peters pulled a try back. Following a penalty for a Bedwas high tackle the ball was cleared in to the Bedwas 22 metre area and from the ensuing driving maul Number 8 Sam Newton was driven over for a try. Thomas converted.
Bedwas were still in control as good passing bought its reward as Rhys Morgans found the space to cross for his second try of the afternoon, again converted by Dixon. St Peters were reduced to fourteen men as a player was sin binned for a ruck offence.
St Peters had the last say of the half as replacement back rower crossed for a try just before the interval, Che Thomas added the conversion and the half time whistle arrived with Bedwas ahead 28 points to 17.
The home side came out for the second half with all guns blazing. With Bedwas on the back foot indiscipline crept in with Harry Oliver and Jacob Wright both receiving a yellow card for pulling down a maul and a deliberate knock-on respectively within the space of two minutes.
Fortunately for Bedwas St Peters could not take advantage of their numerical superiority by crossing the try line and only had two Che Thomas penalties to reduce the deficit to five points.
It was nervy stuff for Bedwas as the home side continued to try to make inroads into the Bedwas half but once Bedwas were back to the full complement nerves were settled.
A James Dixon penalty rebounded to safety off a post, but he was successful with two further penalty goals after 22 and 24 minutes to restore the Bedwas advantage.
Shortly afterwards Adam Williams wrapped up an excellent personal performance as he crossed for his third try of the afternoon, Dixon’s conversion giving Bedwas an eighteen-point cushion for the last fifteen minutes.
The home side vainly battled on to no avail and it was Bedwas who had the last word as an Aaron Billingham run set up left winger Owain Jones to cross for a try in the left-hand corner. Dixon expertly added the conversion to bring up his personal tally for the afternoon to eighteen points, an excellent display of place kicking.
Overall, another impressive team performance from the men in black bought about a deserved win. Attention now moves on to the next fixture when we return to Championship action with a visit to Rumney RFC in Cardiff.
The match gallery is at: Bedwas RFC’s albums | Flickr