Race for Champ goes to final day

Welsh leagues round-up

THE battle for the Championship title is going down to the wire with Bargoed, Neath and Pontypool all still in the hunt.

Neath threw down the gauntlet with a 36-20 home win over Tata Steel on Wednesday to take over at the top from Bargoed. They scored five tries to take a three-point lead, but Bargoed hit back with a 24-14 bonus point win at Maesteg Quins to retake top spot and open up a two-point cushion with one game to play.

Pontypool are up to third after their 39-21 triumph over Cardiff Met. They have two games to go and can match Bargoed on 56 points if both sides end with bonus-point victories in all their games.

Pooler were 21-0 ahead at the break with tries from Garin Price, Darren Hughes and Ashley Sweet. Scrum-half Ethan McVeight got the first Met try, but Mike Herbert was quick to respond with the bonus-point score for Pooler. Rhoma Zheng and Joe Locke hit back for Met but Ethan Davies skipped away to add a fifth try at the end to seal the win.

In the other game at the weekend, Tata Steel won 35-26 at Beddau.

Newbridge set up what could be a winner takes all showdown with Penallta after extending their unbeaten run in Division 1 East to eight games with a 36-7 win over Risca.

Their six-try triumph earned them a bonuspoint to overtake Penallta at the top of the table. Matt Davies grabbed two of them and the others came from Luke Morgan, Dan Davies, Stuart Vokes and Eamonn Rees. Newbridge now have to travel to Penallta on Saturday for the game that could decide who wins the title.

In Division 1 West Central, Bonymaen went level on points with leaders Skewen with a massive 665 home win over Bridgend Athletic. Third placed Ammanford beat Brynamman 62-39, while Kenfig Hill ran out 50-24 winners over Glynneath.

Newcastle Emlyn extended their lead at the top of Division 1 West with a 66-0 win over Penclawdd and second placed Llangennech came out on top at Hendy 25-14.