Bedwas are quick off the mark to sink Neath
NEATH...............................10 BEDWAS............................40
FIVE first-half tries put Neath to the sword at home to Bedwas, as the hosts were consigned to a heavy eighth successive defeat.
Victory ensured Bedwas were able to kickstart their Phase Two campaign after two opening losses, but the visitors were never truly tested in a tie that exposed Neath as being badly out of their depth.
But that should take nothing away from what was an imperious display by the visitors, who were near faultless in every aspect of their play for much of the game.
Any hopes the hosts may have had of ending their barren run were put paid to within the opening minutes.
Neath offered little resistance to the Bedwas pack’s driving maul on their right flank five minutes in, with referee Aled Evans left with little choice but to yellow card Neath wing Alec Jenkins and award the penalty try to give the visitors the lead.
Tom Rowlands added his first try shortly after as Bedwas dominated, though an Ed Howley penalty did put Neath on the scoreboard on 14 minutes.
But it was downhill from there for the hosts, who conceded further first-half tries through Aaron Bramwell and another two for scrum-half Rowlands, as Bedwas tore the Neath defence to shreds.
Neath improved defensively after the break and restricted the visitors to a single further try through Adam Williams, although there was some contention as to whether there had been a forward pass in the build-up.
But the hosts showed some steel to score their only try of the afternoon through Iwan Evans and were arguably the better side for the final fifteen minutes of the tie.
But it was a case of too little, too late for Neath, who will have to wait until next Saturday’s trip to the Arms Park to try to bring an end to their concerning run.