Bargoed denied as Thomas leaves it late to put the boot in

PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP

BARGOED led this game for 79 minutes until the boot of Scarlets full back Aled Thomas denied the home side a deserved victory with his second penalty of the afternoon to steal a result that looked unlikely just after half time with the Bulls 17-3 up.

However, the strength of the West Walians’ bench and three yellow cards for Bargoed turned the game in their favour as the match entered the final quarter.

The Bulls started the game with pace and power hammering the Quins’ line and were unlucky to come away with just a penalty for their efforts after just nine minutes – Callum Jones slotting over from 40 metres.

The first try came just at the end of the first quarter. Prop Keiron Brown put in an impressive run making 20m and was held up short of the line. Quins were given the put-in but Bargoed disrupted and gained a penalty. Jones put the ball on the 5m line, the ball moved across the backs and a sublime pass back inside from Callum Jones to Phil Price saw the centre slip a pass to wing Lewis Hudd who had come infield at a great angle to cross under the posts. Jones converted and Bargoed were 10-0 up with 19 minutes gone.

Hudd then found himself on the wrong side of Brecon referee Adam Jones who flashed a yellow card for a tip tackle by the winger with 13 minutes to go to half time. Aled Thomas put over the resulting penalty but the Bulls weathered the storm well and did not concede any further scores while down to 14 men.

Shortly after Hudd returned, Bargoed were again reduced to 14, this time influential captain and hooker Leigh Meades was binned for a ruck infringement but again the Bulls held out as the half time whistle went with the home side in front by 10-3.

With Bargoed still a man down, No 8 Ross Coombes threw into a lineout on the halfway. The ball was moved quickly across the backs and David Evans looked as if he was going to score but he was caught just short of the line. The ball was recycled and centre Phil Price was on hand to round under the posts. Jones converted and the home supporters were delighted with the 17-3 scoreline.

Bargoed were restored to 15 when the game began to turn in Quins’ favour. The bench came into play and gradually but surely the West Walians cranked up the pressure and with 55 minutes gone they got their first try with flanker Will Boyce going over but Aled Thomas crucially missed the conversion.

Bargoed had an opportunity to take the game away from Quins with a hack-on but the deadball line beat the chasing David Evans. Quins emptied the bench and the depth of their quality showed as they kept possession and piled on the pressure, scoring their second try with Gavin Thomas going over under the posts and giving Aled Thomas an easy conversion to make it 17-15 with six minutes left.

The third yellow card went to flanker Grant Rogers on 75 minutes and Bargoed hearts were broken when Quins were awarded a penalty 30 metres out which Thomas put over with the scoreboard clock showing 79 minutes. There was still some four minutes to play for stoppages but Quins ran down the clock and the game ended 17-18.

Bargoed chairman Neil Carter summed up the frustration.

He Said: “We had this game won going into the final 10 minutes but game management let us down. In addition, we didn’t do ourselves any favours by having three yellow cards and the quality of the Quins’ replacements late in the game made all the difference. Having said that, we are making progress and our performances are showing that we are competitive at this level.”