Bargoed unlucky again
the siege was lifted when Bargoed were penalised for holding on.
Calum Jones added two penalties within five minutes of each other to take the score to 11-3 on the half-hour and Bargoed were looking good for their lead before a poor box-kick allowed Cross Keys back onto the front foot and the field position paid off with another Josh Prosser penalty just before the half time whistle to close the gap to 11-6.
Bargoed came out of the blocks at the start of the second half as though they meant business. Centre Darren Humphries crashed through the middle but was held up. The ball was released quickly across the backs and outside half Greg Callow put wing Duane Dyer in at the corner. Jones’ conversion was unsuccessful from the touchline and Bargoed looked good for their 10-point lead just three minutes into the half.
However, that was as good as it got for the home side as Cross Keys showed their experience and took a grip on the game. Bargoed couldn’t get out of their half as Cross Keys pounded away and despite a straightforward penalty miss for Prosser, the possession and territorial advantage paid off with a Ieuan Jones try from short range converted by Prosser on 52 minutes, who also slotted a penalty to make it all square at 1616 as the game entered the final quarter.
Bargoed’s resistance continued and there’s no doubt that the home supporters would have settled for the draw but four minutes from time, the Bargoed scrum which had been solid all game came under pressure on their own put-in on the 22. Cross Keys secured possession and drove for the line. Flanker Alex Herbert infringed close to the line and Gwyn Morris went under the posts for a penalty try, giving Prosser the easiest of conversions. Herbert went to the bin and Bargoed finished the game a man down.
A desperate last three minutes saw Bargoed hammer away but to no avail and they had to be content with a single losing bonus point. IN a midweek, floodlit game at Duffryn Pennar Park last week, the Old Firm moved into the quarter-finals of the Worthington Mid District Cup by overturning Porth’s 22-10 lead at half-time to score two converted tries and win 24-22.
The game, though, will be remembered for a fracas that occurred between both sides in the second half which led to Mount wing Sean Williams leaving the field with a facial injury that led to him attending hospital where it was confirmed he had suffered a broken nose and a fractured cheek bone and eye socket.
From the kick-off, the visitors were first on the attack and went in front after two minutes with a 15m penalty. Mount hit back minutes later when full back Will Holley counter-attacked from a long kick into the Mount half, side-stepping a Porth player and sprinting away