NATIONAL PLATE
BRIDGEND ATHLETIC 22 BONYMAEN ................. 33
BONYMAEN came to the Morganstone Brewery Field for this game undefeated to date this season.
It was going to take a huge 15-man effort by Bridgend Athletic to progress further in this season’s competition.
However, a propensity this season for picking up cards meant that for 15 minutes at the end of the first half and the start of the second the Athletic played 10 minutes with 14 men and five minutes with only 13 players. During this period Bonymaen picked up 12 unanswered points, eventually winning 33-22.
The Athletic started strongly. No 8 Sean Williams won good lineout ball and backs and forwards laid siege to the visitors’ line. Bonymaen strayed offside and Athletic outside half Robin Davies kicked the resultant penalty to put his side ahead after three minutes. From the restart the Athletic dropped the ball. Bonymaen spotted the Athletic defending too narrow and a cross-kick saw Kyle Salter gather and cross unopposed in the corner. This was a tactic the visitors used twice the previous season at their ground to narrowly defeat the Athletic. Outside half Steffan O’Connor converted.
It was then Bonymaen’s turn to mess up the restart. The Athletic scrum half used quick possession to feed partner Robin Davies and full back Sam Richards ran a good angle to break through and cross wide out. Davies converted to make the score 10-7 to the Athletic in a hectic opening to the game. The game turned when the Athletic attacking inside the Bonymaen 22 saw a pass spilled. Bonymaen wing Nathan Brooks hacked the ball upfield with all the Ath- charge from No 8 Matthew John for the second try again converted by Tatchell. The No 8’s second try came from a push over with the Tondu pack on fire to make it 19-0 midway through the first half.
Tatchell kicked a penalty before some sensational handling from the backs saw left wing Aled Jones fly over for the home side’s fourth, Tatchell again adding the extra points.
The final score of a first half totally dominated by the home side came when quick tap penalty to score another, demonstrating there’s life in the old dog yet, being watched by his dad, former Cefn veteran lock Ron on the top touchline.
Clever Cefn fly half Mike Rawnson converted to give Cefn a 12-10 lead, only for Llantwit to respond with another penalty.
The visitors then followed up with an excellent converted handling try by their centre to go 20-12 into the lead. Cefn prop responded with another very good drive over try, but with the older heads of Cefn struggling with the pace of the game, Llantwit extend their lead further another well-orchestrated handling try to lead 27 -17. letic players committed in attack – he proceeded to fly-hack the ball 75 metres and outsprint the Athletic cover to cross for a try conceded from an Athletic mistake. O’Connor’s conversion put his side 14-10 ahead after 12 minutes.
It remained that score until the closing minutes of the half. Bonymaen attempted a rolling maul close to the Athletic line. The referee judged Athletic hooker and captain for the day Nathan Holman to have illegally stopped it and sent him to the sin bin. Bonymaen opted for a five-metre scrum. Although the seven-man Athletic pack held out Bonymaen the visitors moved the ball into midfield where centre Salter too easily broke through the Athletic defence to centre Josh Tatchell finished off more sleek handling from the backs.
With the game already over, the second half was always going to be a case of how many would the home side score, but it was the away side that at last opened their account when open side Peter O’Sullivan crept over after forward pressure.
Wing Daniel Short kicked the conversion.
Tondu bounced straight back with a try for veteran back row man Nathan
Cefn, to their credit persevered and were rewarded with another try from Dimond, duly converted by Rawnson to keep the home side in the game narrowing the gap to just seven points, but the flagging Cefn defence leaked another try in the dying minutes to go down valiantly 32-24.
For Cefn, it was a spirited display with the likes of Steve Burnett and Dan James standing up manfully in the scrum. Lock Andy Forbes put in his usual hard working shift in the powerhouse whilst Pete Orchard made some telling runs when he entered the fray. In the backs, James Lloyd put in some telling tackles, and ran with the ball at every opportunity. cross under the posts. O’Connor’s conversion put the visitors 21-10 ahead at half-time.
Within five minutes of the restart the Athletics’ task became greater when replacement hooker Lee Murphy was also sin binned for tackling a player without the ball. Despite valiant defence and tackling by the Athletic backrow of MOM Ben Davies, Sean Williams and Jacob David Bonymaen played the numbers game and stretched the Athletic defence out wide for Salter to complete his Strong minutes later and Tatchell was again on target with the conversion.
A splendid back line move which included a wonderful slight of hand pass from Tatchell sent Sam Grabham over for what was probably the games finest try, Tatchell added another conversion to make it 48 - 7 to the Waterwheelers.
Tondu’s final contribution to this very one-sided encounter came in the shape No 8 Matthew John which completed his hat- hat-trick of tries. With 10 minutes remaining Bonymaen also showed that as well as a potent attacking backline their pack could also do the business. Their flanker Nick Clancy was driven over for a try from a five-metre rolling maul because of a line out penalty awarded for further Athletic indiscipline. The conversion gave the Swansea Valley side an unassailable 33-10 advantage.
From the restart the Athletic turned over possession and centre Tom Jenkins fed wing Dan Howells who came off trick and a fine all round performance.
Centre Kyle Davies got a late try for the visitors, again converted by Short but today there was only one team in cruise control and that was Tondu.
Captain Paul Smithson said: “The forwards were outstanding probably the best performance all season. We have a strong squad of backs this season with the forwards providing the platform we needed to run in some fine tries.” with a well worked try, with the score level it was Pyle grabbing another try by Tom Ansen, converted by Gallafant. It was winger David Pound next to jump on the score sheet with a well worked backs move to score under the sticks. The Pyle forwards dominated the scrum with the front row proving to be a handful up front and vice captain Lee Radford going over for an unconverted try. Just before half-time the visitors got back to scoring, bringing the score to 26-14.
The second half kicked off with the visitors on the counter attack and broke Pyle’s defence to go for a converted try. Pyle were now on the back foot and produced some midfield magic and Ansen went his wing at speed to cross under the posts. Davies converted. Within a minute debutant youth wing Joe Patterson beat two defenders with an excellent 40 metres run along the touchline. Although halted just short of the line No 8 Sean Williams was on hand to cross in the corner. This reduced the deficit to 33-22.
Bonymaen then closed out the remaining eight minutes to take a deserved victory playing a welldisciplined 15-man game with better game management than the Athletic. over for his hat-trick and converted by Gallafant. It was Pound grabbing his second try and raced up the touch line breaking down the visitors’ defence and converted by Gallafant. The visitors to their credit never gave up and came back to score their fourth converted try. Pyle took advantage of a lose ball and the ball went through the hands and winger Scott Jones went over in the corner for an unconverted try. Pyle were unstoppable now breaking down the visitors’ defence and captain Rory Bodenham picked up the ball in midfield running the length of the pitch with good support from the backs he went over to score under the sticks and converted by
Athletic head coach John Apsee was frustrated with not only discipline issues, but communication and organisation within the Athletic ranks to talk with each other and organise their defence, as well as disappointment with some missed tackles and dropped passes costing his side dearly on the day.
This Saturday the Athletic return to the Morganstone Brewery Field hoping to follow their last Div 1 West central success at Waunarlwydd when entertaining Seven Sisters. Gallafant. With the game now approaching the last 10 minutes, Luke Church grabbed a try in which he converted then it was Pound grabbing his hattrick to round of the scoring. Pyle’s next game is home to Birchgrove RFC.
SEPTEMBER 12 marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the clubhouse at Pyle RFC. Celebrabations for this event will take place on Saturday November 25 with a players reuniom. There will be a Pyle Select XV v Local Select XV kick-off 1330, followed by Wales v New Zealand. All past and present players are invited to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Contact Mark on 07711 044387 for further details.