DIVISION 1
MAESTEG QUINS ....... 33 BRIDGEND ATHLETIC 24
SEVERAL clubs are neck and neck in a blanket finish for the title.
Front-runners Bridgend Athletic faced third placed Maesteg Quins and both want to ensure the race goes to the wire. With both teams were chomping at the bit and the going good to soft.
Early on Athletic were held up over the line. Throughout, the Quins superior scrum made vital gains at key moments. At the lineout Nathan Smith, Steve Williams and Lewis Tutt, just edged affairs to make a key difference.
Quins created opportunities but their discipline was poor for the first hour. Athletic didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, clearing their lines and keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Livewire full back Phillips gathered a clearance kick. Zipping through several gaps, he was felled by a high tackle.
Luke Bevan landed the penalty.
Stealing a lineout, Lewis Tutt went on a sculling run. Held up over the line, the scrum lunged forward and Tutt got his reward. Owen Howe converted.
Howe kicked a penalty, but Athletic responded immediately. A steepling re-start wasn’t gathered. Well executed passes and dummy running saw winger Humphries back himself and evade last ditch tackles to slip over in the corner.
Howe kicked another penalty but Athletic had hit their stride.
Forwards and backs combined to put the Quins under the cosh. Centre Taylor burst through an opening to reach the line untouched.
Bevan’s conversion gave the visitors a two points lead but he missed a simple effort before half-time so the score remained 15-13.
Bevan, whose line kicking was exceptional, secured another three points for Athletic.
Suddenly. the Quins began to apply pressure. Geraint Watkins’ passing was immaculate and his strength kept the visiting back-row busy.
A 25 yard driving maul sucked in the visiting pack and when the ball was spread, Kieran Watkins came from behind to sprint under the posts.
Separated by a head, Bevan kicked his fourth goal. Entering the home straight, Quins created a grandstand finish.
While Athletic were hauling down a lineout, magnificent invention saw the Quins execute superb sleight of hand to send Jay Ronan up the rails to dive in at the corner. Howe converted for a 27-24 lead.
A collapsed scrum allowed Howe to convert his third three-pointer, which forced Athletic to keep ball in hand. Not that they mind running from everywhere, it’s in their bloodline.
When penalised just inside the Quins half, the thud from Howe’s howitzer sent the ball sailing between the uprights to claim another eighteen points match haul.
It also denied the Athletic a bonus point, ensuring the Quins were hands down winners by a length.
Two competitive teams, full of outstanding individual performers made for an excellent match. After this superb first ever league win over Bridgend Athletic, Quins are joint table-toppers, keeping their hopes of glory.
Next week, Maesteg make their third and final visit of the season to South Parade.
This Saturday, the Athletic entertain Kenfig Hill at the Bridgendford Brewery Field.
Following the game all former players and committee are invited back to the Ewenny Road clubhouse for a celebration reunion of 40 years of Youth Rugby.