DIVISION 2
BUILTH WELLS .............. 3 MAESTEG CELTIC ...... 10
MAESTEG Celtic travelled to Builth Wells for a league fixture.
Their pitch was unplayable so the game was transferred to the school field. The surface appeared good to start but soon cut up badly.
Conditions were not conducive to running rugby and the game soon turned into an arm wrestle between two good packs of forwards.
Builth began well but as the surface deteriorated the Celtic pack began to get on top. Front row Sean Lambert Ashley Poole and Lloyd Griffiths carried the ball well and tackled relentlessly. Second rows Alex Jones and Rhys Bevan Jones contributed in defence and attack and took the greasy lineout ball with ease. The back row of Ryan Jones, Peter Kehoe and captain Oliver Petty were always in the thick of the action.
When their forwards began to be pushed back in the scrum, Builth opted for high kicks over the Celtic defence.
Celtic back three Neil Arthur, James Dixon and Sam Mines were solid under the barrage, while centres Kristian Jenkins and Nathan Healy linked up well to return the ball with interest.
Celtic took the lead when their forwards camped on the Builth line and forced the defenders to kill the ball to prevent a push over try.
The referee awarded a penalty try and a yellow card. Builth took the ball into the Celtic 22 from the kick off and were awarded a penalty near the posts.
In the second half coach Kieran Power brought on Damien and Mathew Phillips into the front row, Mathew Jones into the second row and Callum Bowen into the back row to reinvigorate a tiring pack.
The play in the second half was as fiercely contested as the first, with errors increasing as the conditions worsened. With 10 minutes to go and 43 scrums, Builth requested passive scrums and Celtic changed tactics. Man of the match scrum half Neil Arthur kicked for territory and play was taken into the home 22. A penalty was awarded and outside half Mathew Harris increased the winning margin.