Athletic end 2016 with a win
KENFIG HILL ............... 15 BRIDGEND ATHLETIC 24
BRIDGEND Athletic won their final game of 2016, a hard-fought derby at Croft Goch.
Playing down the slope, the Mules had the better of the opening exchanges and went ahead after five minutes.
They drove the Athletic back from a five metre scrum for captain and scrum half Tom Briggs to cross for a try.
The Athletic struggled in the opening stages against the fired up Mules but gradually fought their way back into the game. Hooker Nathan Holman found flanker Ben Howe with a line out throw. The Athletic captain set up a driving maul and scrum half Dan James, spotting a gap with the Mule’s flankers tied in, crossed in the corner to level the scores.
Outside half Harrison Evans restored the home side’s lead with a 30-metre penalty.
The referee had warned both sides about the number of penalties they were conceding and Kenfig Hill paid the price when their lock infringed 15 metres out and was sent to the bin. Surprisingly in a tight game with few chances the Athletic opted for a scrum rather than an easy penalty. Despite pushing the Mules back, they picked up the ball and were caught conceding their own penalty which allowed the home side to clear. It was the Athletic’s time to find themselves a man short with their own yellow card.
Despite a player disadvantage the Athletic opened up play and a break on halfway from centre Stuart Floyd-Ellis was carried on up to the 22. When play was halted, prop Zach Evans won the ball on the floor and James picked up and broke clear to chip over the full back and win the race to touch down for another solo try. Floyd-Ellis converted to give the Athletic a 12-8 half time lead.
Early in the second half, Floyd-Ellis extended the Athletic lead with a 35-metre penalty. This only served to inspire a fightback by the Mules and they camped inside the Athletic 22 with hooker Gareth Harvey leading a number of drives towards the try line. The pressure told and the Athletic were again reduced to 14 men with another yellow card. Kenfig Hill took advantage and moved the ball from a scrum for centre Shaun Burnell to cross. Harrison Evans’ conversion levelled the scores.
With 20 minutes remaining, the Mules back line was caught offside and Floyd-Ellis punished them with a penalty from 45 metres out. When the home side infringed to stop a significant Athletic driving maul they were forced to play out the final 9 minutes a man short with their lock in the sin bin. Floyd-Ellis increased the lead with the resultant penalty. With the final move of the game, Kenfig Hill desperately tried to play the ball inside their own 22 conceding a penalty. Floyd-Ellis claimed a 14 point match haul with his fourth penalty to add to his conversion.
The Athletic now have a seasonal break before visiting table topping Bonymaen on January 7.