Silver lining for Bargoed after title win
BARGOED made up for the heartache of losing the WRU Championship final to Neath by winning the Admiral Championship with a 36-0 home win over Trebanos.
Despite injuries and unavailabilities, Trebanos – who beat Bedwas at the Principality Stadium to win the WRU Premiership Plate – made the trip to Bargoed and gave the home side the chance to shoot for the title.
Neath had overtaken them at the top the night before with their 20-16 win over Cross Keys in the final game of their 150th anniversary season.
That took them two points clear.
It meant Bargoed had to secure a win to finish top.
They did so thanks to a six-try salvo, with Jordan Howells bagging two and Callum Jones, Dylan Williams, James Leadbetter and Keegan Bale getting the others.
“We were very grateful to Trebanos for making the trip and their young side played their hearts out,” said Bargoed team manager Brett Wakefield.
“We knew what we had to do and we managed to score six tries to ensure we couldn’t be beaten regardless of what happened.
With only one defeat in 13 games they ended on 56 points. Neath were second with 53 and Pontypool ended their season on 46, with two games unplayed.
Pooler were unhappy that they couldn’t rearrange their abandoned game against Ystalyfera or encourage Beddau to play their allotted fixture.
Even so, had they picked up the 10 points on offer from their last two matches they wouldn’t have been able to unseat Bargoed form the top spot as the number of wins was the next determining factor in who goes above who in the table.
Pontypool went through the season unbeaten at home. Ystalyfera have decided not to play their final two away games.
Neath had tries from Sion Crocker and Nicky Griffiths, as well as 10 points from the boot of fly-half Iestyn Morgan, to thank for their victory over Keys. Centre Adam Tetley kicked three penalties for Keys and converted a try by Louis Tovey.
Glynneath beat Nantyffyllon 20-17 to finish sixth in One West Central, while Aberystwyth and Newcastle Emlyn played out a 31-31 draw in the final of the Scarlets Cup.