Second-half burst puts an end to miserable run for Quins
CARM QUINS.....................39 BARGOED...........................17
A BURST of 21 points in 13 minutes at the start of the second half steered Carmarthen Quins to victory over Bargoed.
And it has left the Rhymney Valley side’s hopes of Premiership survival hanging by a thread.
With relegation rivals Cross Keys picking up a full house of five points at Neath, it means this weekend’s clash with Keys at Pandy Park could be a last-chance saloon for Bargoed.
The Quins were desperate to end a run of two home defeats and the controlling influence of Aled Thomas helped to guide them to a much- needed bonus-point win.
The visitors were highly competitive in the opening quarter and fashioned a good try for scrum-half James Leadbeater that his half-back partner Josh Prosser converted to give his side a 7-3 lead.
But after that the power of the Quins pack, combined with the deadly goal-kicking of former Scarlets star Thomas, turned the game on its head.
Thomas opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty and ended the match with 19 points.
He raced in for the first of his side’s five tries and then added a penalty to edge his side in front.
Prosser cut the gap to a point before Bargoed let in home wing Dale Ford for a crucial try in injury time when they were down to 14 men.
Thomas added the extras to give the home side some breathing space.
An explosive start to the second half saw centre Josh Batcup and No. 8 Lewys Millin cross in the space of four minutes.
Both tries Thomas as the advantage grew to 22 points.
There was one more for home fans to savour when hooker Torin Myhill crashed over on 52 minutes.
Bargoed grabbed a consolation try through centre Jordan Howells that was converted by Callum Jones.