MID DISTRICT ROUND-UP

THERE was some cracking action involving our Mid District clubs over the weekend,

In the Principality Premiership, Merthyr kept up their amazing start to the season as champions Ebbw Vale became the latest club to feel the Ironmen’s force. A hat-trick of tries from scrum half Rhys Downes plus a Kyle Evans effort along with a fantastic kicking display from Matthew Jarvis gave Merthyr a 38-25 win. The win means that Merthyr stay in second spot and just three points off leaders Aberavon.

Pontypridd showed Newport no mercy on their new surface at Sardis Road, where flyer Alex Webber grabbed a hattrick of tries. Centre Bradley Coombes and lock Hemi Barnes also crossed for five pointers with Callum Hall kicking 14 points to give the Valley Commandos a good 36-12 success.

Bargoed will again feel that a win was stolen from them at their Bargoed Park ground. The Blues were pipped 19-18 by Carmarthen Quins which means they now have three home losing bonus points and a win from their first four home games. Tries from Phil Price and Lewis Hudd plus eight points from the boot of Calum Jones was not enough to prevent the loss for the Rhymney Valley Club.

In the National Championship, Bedlinog got their first win on the road this season and they did it in some style. The Foxes move up to fifth in the table with a six-try 40-29 away victory at Dunvant. Owain Rees scored a brace, with Iain Smerdon, Andrew Murphy and Ben Grzesica grabbing individual efforts to go with a penalty try. Smerdon also kicked five conversions in an excellent win.

Beddau moved up to fourth place in the table with a bonus-point 31-22 home win over struggling Glamorgan Wanderers. The Green and Golds claimed their bonuspoint try just before the interval thanks to efforts from Lloyd Evans, Kristian Parker, Cody Baker and Callum Wheeler. Hywel Chatham kicked all four conversions and a penalty to make it three wins on the bounce for the Taff Ely Club.

The only other game in the National League was at Nantyglo where Nelson really put on a display to go second in Division One East. The Unicorns dispatched the Gwent Club with an excellent 57-5 bonus-point victory.

In the National Plate, Rhydyfelin had no problems in transforming their league form to knockout rugby as they demolished Garndiffaith at the Hawthorn Recreation ground. There was hat-tricks for both Jordon Rees and Ross Lucas with Scott Pritchard, Lucas Studley, Rhys Phillips, Kyle Perry and Chris Phillips also crossing the whitewash in the big 70-7 win.

There will be three Cynon Valley clubs in the next round of the draw as Abercynon, Aberdare and Mountain Ash all enjoyed success. Abercynon beat fellow Division Two East Central club Dinas Powys 25-19 at the Y Parc, while the Snakes of Aberdare put on one of the displays of the day to beat a Porth Harlequins outfit that are a league higher by 43-24. Mountain Ash ended Llantrisant’s 100% start to the season with a confident 33-12 win at Parc Dyffryn Pennar.

Dowlais continued their fantastic start to the season by defeating a highly fancied Ystrad Rhondda outfit. This game was both a National Plate and Worthington Mid District Cup fixture so Dowlais will be overjoyed with the 21-18 win.

There were also nailbiting affairs at Senghenydd and St Joseph’s where Ynysybwl and Treorchy held on to get positive results. The Bwl ground out a 25-20 win despite a late Saints comeback thanks to tries from Alex Taylor, Greg Mogford, Dewi Voyle and Dewi Morris. The Zebras returned from the capital with a 25-24 win to keep up their unbeaten start to the new term.

Llantwit Fardre are still looking for their first win of the season but they gave Division Two East Central outfit Llanishen a run for their money before losing out 30-24 in the capital.

In the National Bowl, Tonyrefail were the big hitters of the day as they recorded a massive 100-3 win over CIACS at Parklands. The Rhondda club were in rampant form but credit must go to their visitors who kept battling to the end.

Tylorstown will be another Rhondda club in the draw as they returned from Rhigos with a welldeserved but hard fought 13-3 victory. Cilfynydd keep winning and their latest win was just down the road from them at the University of South Wales who they beat by 40-17 in a good open game.

Treherbert find themselves in the next round of both the National Plate and Worthington Mid District Bowl after they won at Hirwaun in a double header. The Devils were clinical in the 52-0 win.

Treharris Phoenix go through to the next round on try count after nothing could separate them and their hosts Llandaff. The sides were equal at 32-32 after 80 minutes.

Cefn Coed’s impressive start to the season was halted as undefeated Machen returned from the Merthyr valley with a 38-13 victory.

Ferndale are another club who tasted defeat for the first time as they were beaten 26-12 at Cardiff Medicals. It was also a bad day for Deri who despite putting on a good performance were knocked out of the Bowl by Newport Saracens after a close 15-8 loss.

Caerphilly, Cambrian Welfare and Wattstown were given a free passage to the next round as their opposition clubs handed them walkovers.