NATIONAL CUP
GLYNNEATH .................. 0 BRIDGEND RAVENS .. 48
BRIDGEND Ravens moved smoothly into the second round of the competition with an eight-try victory at Abernant Park.
With a stiff wind in their face, Bridgend kept ball in hand where possible, forcing Glynneath to work extremely hard in defence. Chris John made good progress in midfield before the Ravens fired an early penalty to the corner. A strong maul from the visitors was halted just short of the line but Iestyn Merriman was able to burrow over from close range. Jamie Murphy add- ed the conversion.
Bridgend got a second try with just over 20 minutes played. Chris Williams broke down the right wing and Bridgend recycled quickly. Ryan Griffiths popped a pass to Owen Jordan and the prop crashed over out wide against his former side.
The Ravens should have added more tries throughout the first half with two balls dropped over the line and a held up decision going against them. Bridgend added a third try late in the half following a scrum five metres out. Jonathan Phillips, making his first start for the club, stepped his way over for his first score in the famous blue and white jersey. Skidmore’s cross-kick to the corner, White’s conversion sailing wide for 19-nil.
The same scorer continued his act as he then charged down a desperate clearing kick from Abercrave and again nabbed the try, unconverted, and at 24-nil the visitors seemed incapable of coming back into it.
A searing break from Phillips over 30 metres, saw centre Gareth Rees turn on the gas to finish a great move and cross for a super try with White again driving his conversion just wide but at 29-nil the match seemed over as a contest.
When Aled Davies took a sublime pass from Phillips on halfway, he left the Abercrave defence in no man’s land to cross at the posts and Ben Thomas popped over the conversion, with White having departed the pitch for 36-nil.
As Porthcawl coach Rhys James rang the changes to provide some game time to his squad, the forceful Jordan Fox, on as a sub on the wing, took his chance to run in from fully 40 metres for a great try that Thomas again converted for 43-nil. With the match now in injury time, it fell to Aled Davies to complete his return to South Road, as he scythed through and cantered in to score, from fully 75 metres, for the ultimate try, converted by Thomas and bringing up the half century at full time.
For Porthcawl nobody worked harder upfront than Gavin Williams, Jake Furness and the outstanding McNally, with Phillips and Co. doing a great job behind, this was a satisfactory job well done.
The Seaweeds take to the next round of the WRU bowl on Saturday as they welcome Newport Saracens to South Road.
Five second half tries showed Bridgend’s expansive style despite the slippery conditions. It took the visitors just five minutes to touch down for their fourth try of the match. Ryan Griffiths hit in the counter attack, making his way into Glynneath territory. Jonathan Phillips then showed outstanding pace by rounding the hosts’ defence before slipping a sublime offload to Kieran Martin. The Bridgend Ravens Supporters Man of The Match drew the fullback and passed inside to Phillips who ran in under the posts, the fullback passed up the chance of a second try as he offloaded whilst over the try line to Rhodri Apsee for the prop to notch his first try in Ravens colours.
Glynneath started to string some phases together as the half went on, looking for a first score of the game. Mike Powell put a stop to the hosts’ attack with a strip tackle and the flyer showed he had the gas and raced in from 80 metres for Bridgend’s fifth try.
Three further tries in the last 15 minutes wrapped up a comprehensive win for the Ravens. Jamie Murphy produced a neat chip for Ryan Griffiths and the winger bagged a try on his fiftieth Bridgend appearance. Garin Lougher got his name on the score sheet after good work from Connor Tantum, the scrum halve’s offload sent Lougher through for the scrappy play and poor handling by both sides before Roderick made the difference with pace through the center and scored under the posts and with Davies converting the score crept to 0-12. Then Briton Ferry put the Sports under pressure and it needed stout defence as the big home forwards drove 6 or 7 times to the line, however, it was Ryan Wallis who stole the ball and fed the threequarters on the Sports own line.
Instead of kicking for touch, Ken Morris saw some space on the right wing and with Lee roderick on his shoulder ran from his tryline and off-loaded to Roderick on the 22 for the wing to run the length of the field for his third try, Davies adding the points and ending the half 0-19.
As the half began the Sports seemed to pick up the pace and improved their handling with Josh Davies making a fine break down the right wing, again Roderick was in support but pulled down short of the line.
He quickly recovered and seemed to take up managed to force a penalty in front of the posts, which fullback Nathan Townley easily converted to close the gap to 3-7. Brackla attempted to play expansive rugby, with several opportunities out wide resulted in set pieces mistakes and handling errors which gifted the ball back to the Saracens. After a quarter of an hour played, Saracens went over for their 2nd try to extend their lead, the difficult conversion was missed, 3-12. Brackla began dominating possession, but despite this, they wasn’t able to close the gap before the break.
Brackla continued to dominate possession in the first quarter of the 2nd score.
The final act of the match saw Griffiths add his second try, the Ravens eighth. Zach O’Driscoll, impressive throughout, produced another turnover deep in the Glynneath half and Bridgend struck again on the counter at- the outside half position, he was fed by the scrum half Callicott and galloped over for his 4th try. Davies made it 0-26. Rhys Obard got the next try as he continued to run strongly and deservedly scored wide out, Davies kicking a difficult conversion.
Then when flyhalf Dareen Lewis broke from his 22 he was supported by Cory Thomas who ran as if his house was on fire, there was good support from four players but winger Rob Spears got the ball and was efficient scoring under the posts and the score after Davies conversion was 0-40 and the Sports now looking more fluid as Briton Ferry tired. half. The Maggies found themselves camped in the Saracens 22. The critical moment in the game came on the hour mark, Brackla had a series of dominant scrums on Saracens 5 metre line resulted in scrum half Jamie Evans going over the try line only to be denied on both occasions. Saracens stole the ball quickly from the reset scrum, and quickly cleared their lines. Shortly after, a breakaway from the halfway along with good hands resulted in Saracens 3rd try to extend the lead to 3-17 after 65 minutes. The match went from bad to worse for the luckless for Brackla, when Saracens secured the bo- tack. A looping pass found Garin Lougher and the replacement drew his man to put Ryan Griffiths over out wide.
Bridgend can now look forward to a second round Cup clash before getting back to league action in February.
Lee Rodericks fifth try came when he supported captain Josh Davies who made a fine break from deep in the Sports half. Handing the scoring pass to Roderick and kicking the conversion. Then from an orthodox first phase move from the lineout Rob Spears grabed his second try as he joined the line from the left wing at pace and cut through to score under the posts.
The final try of the game was a fine one, again from a first phase line ball and this time it was the turn of Dan James to show his pace and a clean pair of heels to the whole of the Briton Ferry side the kick failed and the game ended 0-59. nus point. A quickly taken lineout from Brackla, went terribly wrong and the ball went straight into the hand of the grateful Saracens back who raced under the sticks to finish Brackla off. The try was converted, 3-24.
The last word went to Brackla, they worked their way into the Saracens 22 and won another penalty. From the lineout, a powerful driving maul allowed No.8 Sean James at the back to score Brackla’s only try, the score remained unconverted. MOTM, Anthony OwensRedwood, who led from the front with a number of powerful breaks and tackles.