Bridgend put dent in RGC playoff hopes

HAT-TRICK hero Iwan Griffiths handed Bridgend president JPR Williams the perfect birthday gift as he set up a convincing 40-25 win at the expense of play-off chasing RGC.

Bridgend lock Jack Pope was in the thick of the action on his 100th appearance as the home pack set the tone. A solid set-piece provided the platform for Griffiths to pick a scything angle for the opening try on 17 minutes.

Bridgend’s pack then set up the second try, first rebuffing a fierce RGC driving maul before edging upfield where their scrum earned a penalty.

However, it was the sublime skills of fullback Edd Howley (inset) that finished the score, racing through before gathering his own kick for a stunning try.

No. 8 Jordan Collier then powered over for a third try for a 19-6 lead at the break, only for Dion Jones to step through early in the second half for the visitors.

Jones added the conversion to cut the gap to 19-13.

But as the visitors threatened a comeback, Griffiths proved the difference with a sevenminute brace.

Replacement Evan Yardley grabbed Bridgend’s seventh try before a bizarre final three minutes saw RGC cross twice through Delwyn Jones and Rhys Tudor, though it was not enough to take a bonus point back to North Wales.

RGC are now 12 points adrift of the final playoff spot and a (preferably big) win at home to next-to-bottom Pontypridd on Saturday is a must.

■ Ebbw Vale moved back into the play-off places in the Indigo Premiership thanks to a last-gasp try from Lewis Young that carried them to a 31-24 win over Swansea at St Helen’s.

Young’s try turned a draw into a full fivepointer on a day that play-off rivals Aberavon were beaten at home by Newport.

Ebbw are now two points clear of Aberavon and face a crucial match against Merthyr on Friday night.

■ Merthyr made it five wins in a row as they consolidated their place in the top four with a 41-22 victory at Carmarthen Quins, a case of the home side not being able to keep up with the Joneses: three of Merthyr’s six tries came from a Jones – full-back Ben, prop Louis and wing Sam. A bonus-point win closed the gap on second-placed Llandovery to three points and halted the Quins’ three-game winning run in its tracks.