PASSIONATE ATHLETIC CLOSE THE GAP
CWMLLYNFELL .......... 13 BRIDGEND ATHLETIC 22
BRIDGEND Athletic made it successive league doubles and bonus points wins as they defeated Cwmllynfell away by 22 points to 13, running in 4 tries. Banc Y Bryn one of the highest pitches in Wales and boasting a considerable sloping playing surface is always a difficult place to play. A hailstorm just prior to kick off along with 24 hours’ rain made the pitch very heavy and Cwmllynfell belied their lowly position with a passionate performance which left the result in doubt until the 70th minute.
Playing down the slope the home side played the opening 10 minutes mostly inside the Athletic 22. They tried moving the ball but found no joy in breaking through the centre partnership of the experienced pairing Marc Bennett and Michael Hathaway aided by formidable defence from the back-row trio of Ben Howe, Stuart Edbrooke and Jonathon Howard. When turnover ball was won Marc Bennett launched a counter attack running 60 metres along the wing before supplying a scoring pass for wing Harry Griffiths to cross in the corner. Full back Stuart Floyd-Ellis added an excellent touchline conversion. The home side responded when they chipped through the Athletic defence for former Ospreys academy player wing Bowdy Davies to win the race to touch down in the corner.
Another long range break out from wing Garin Lougher saw a bout of handling involving half backs Dan James and Luke Bevan looking likely to score only for the final potential scoring pass to the supporting Jonathon Howard being intercepted five metres from the try line. Another bout of passing involving the front row of Matt Muir, Lee Murphy and Wayne Fooks saw Fooks force his way over for what he thought was a legitimate try. Unfortunately the referee did not share his views and said he had been held up prompting a 5 metre Athletic scrum. No 8 Stuart Edbrooke picked up from the back of the scrum and drew the blind side defence before releasing Dan James to dash through a gap to cross wide out to make it 12-5 to the Athletic. The pattern of the remainder of the half remained the same with Cwmllynfell mainly attacking with the Athletic using their backs to break from deep without any further scoring before the half time break. Bowdy Davies saved two further Athletic tries in the half coming across field to his opposite wing to make try saving tackles.
Cwmllynfell changed their game plan in the second half keeping the ball tight in their big pack and using their half backs to pin back the Athletic with tactical kicking to prevent turnovers releasing the potent Athletic back division. The Athletic were conceding too many penalties mainly not releasing the tackled person and holding on in the tackle, which kept the home side on the offensive. From one such offence Bowdy Davies punished them with a well struck penalty from half way to reduce the deficit his side’s deficit to 12-8. With an upset on the cards the Athletic brought on experienced lock Griff Davies along with prop Lewis Davies. Griff’s ball carrying helped switch the forward momentum as the Athletic forwards in particular Chris John, Jonathon Stoker and Stuart Edbrooke started to pick and go to cross the gain line and supply the Athletic backs with possession on the front foot. From a ruck with 10 minutes remaining the ball quickly reached centre Michael Hathaway 30 metres out in a two on two situation. In a class move he rounded his own defender and cut inside the wing to cross wide out and open up a 17-8 advantage. Sensing a bonus point the Athletic went straight back on the attack and good interpassing saw scrum half James make a break and put his supporting captain Ben Howe over wide out for his sixth try of the season. It was also the popular flanker’s 100th 1st team point for the Athletic.
Cwmllynfell responded when inevitably Bowdy Davies used his pace to break the Athletic defence and put fellow wing Kieron Ace over in the corner.
The Athletic pack saw out the closing 5 minutes for a hard earned 22-13 bonus point victory to lift them into 3rd place in the table with a game in hand on the two leaders.
This Saturday the 4th February the Athletic entertain Ammanford at Newbridge Fields.