DIVISION 3 WEST CENTRAL B
BRIDGEND SPORTS ... 16 PORTHCAWL ............... 19
THIS top-of-the-table clash was always going to be a closely fought affair and so it turned out to be as the Seaweeds snatched it at the death.
Both sides put everything into the match but Porthcawl drew first blood when Josh White kicked an early penalty.
Minutes later he popped over another simpler kick as the Sports gave away a soft penalty.
The Sports were having the better of the territory and full back Josh Davies pulled it back with a penalty of his own.
The heavy pitch was already proving difficult to negotiate at times but to their credit, both sides kept hammering away in turn, with the packs especially wellmatched.
White’s third penalty stretched it to 9-3 yet back came Davies with his second.
The Seaweeds managed a crucial score just before the break as the Sports lost control of the ball while trying to break through and Leon McNally hacked the ball on for Porthcawl for his team mate winger Jake Thomas to grab the touchdown.
White’s brilliant conversion made it 16-6 at half time.
The Sports drew first blood in the second half as they capitalised on some good driving play with Davies again kicking the penalty as Porthcawl’s Mattie Davies was yellow carded,
The Sports did what Porthcawl did before the break, hacking through a loose ball for a try by centre Ken Morris after White had a clearance kick charged down, Davies converted and at 16-16 the match really could have gone either way.
It was close to the end of the match with some 10 minutes of injury time played, White then became villain-turned-hero as his pack surged forward with a final flourish and earned a penalty. The ball sailed between the posts to grab the winning points as Sports support- ers groaned in anguish at the decision.
This was a well-contested and often compelling match, which was a credit to both sides, clearly the two best sides in the division.