Trebanos prove too hot to handle for the Athletic
BRIDGEND ATHLETIC 13 TREBANOS .................. 36
TREBANOS showed why they are favourites to win the league with an allround 15-man display of running rugby that proved as hot as the afternoon sunshine, running in five tries.
The game was a throwback for seasoned Athletic supporters in how to exploit possession when actually out muscled up front.
The Athletic already without their regular youth backs away on tour were forced to reshuffle with further drop outs on the day and losing vicecaptain and scrum half Aled Thomas to a leg injury. Before the Athletic backs could reorganise, Trebanos broke through the centre and good support play saw centre Tom Dew cross for a try converted by full back Luke Griffiths.
Within a minute, they repeated the move with scrum half Shaun Phillips crossing for a second converted try. Trebanos had scored 90 points last week against Ammanford the last team to beat them back in December, and with Athletic full back Dan Howells in the bin, things looked ominous for the Athletic.
To their credit, their forwards started to control the game up front. No 8 Griff Davies, making his 246th and final appear- ance, was prominent in leading an Athletic fightback. The front row with prop Matt Muir making his 100th appearance and fellow prop Wayne Fooks and hooker Nathan Holman started dominating the scrums. Chris John was effective in lineout and loose and captain flanker Ben Howe was his usual inspirational self. They kept the game tight when reduced to 14 players denying Trebanos possession for their speedy back division.
Athletic outside half Stuart Floyd-Ellis found touch five metres from the Trebanos line from a penalty. The pack then powered their way over from the lineout maul and Ben Howe’s touchdown was his seventh of the season. Floyd- Ellis converted and quickly added a penalty to bring the Athletic back in contention at 14-10.
With two minutes of the half remaining, Trebanos turned over possession and whipped the ball quickly to winger Matthew Edwards who ran in from halfway.
In the final minute of the half, Luke Griffiths kicked a penalty to stretch the visitors’ half time lead to 22-10.
The Athletic pack dominated the opening 15 minutes of the second half with excellent forward drives enabling FloydEllis to reduce the deficit to 22-13.
Trebanos responded when full back Luke Griffiths collected an up and under just outside his 22, He attacked and ghosted through the Athletic team with a mesmerising run to cross under the posts. His conversion opened a 2913 lead.
Some weak Athletic tackling allowed winger David Scone to run 40 metres for a try converted by Christian Jones. The Athletic kept the free scoring visitors from inflicting a humiliating defeat and in the closing minutes winger Harry Griffiths was bundled into touch a few metres short.
The club would like to thank former player and vice president David Perry of Church Village Travel for his continued support in sponsoring the fixture.