Bedwas RFC 29 Trebanos RFC 21.
WRU Championship Cup, round 2, Saturday 28 October 2023.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
Nineteen points from the trusty left boot of James Dixon paved the was for a deserved win for Bedwas and a place in round 3 of the WRU Championship Cup.
On a wet afternoon it was the visitors who took an early lead courtesy of a Rhys Harris penalty goal from the halfway line.
Harris was wide with a long-range penalty chance before Bedwas struck back on 10 minutes as Tommy Chapman set off on a determined run from the back of a lineout to crash over for a try. James Dixon added the conversion.
Halfway through the half Trebanos reduced the arrears to a solitary point courtesy of a Harris penalty but Dixon was on hand three minutes later to kick Bedwas ahead with another successful penalty kick.
Trebanos replied with another Rhys Harris penalty kick before his side conceded a penalty which was kicked to touch. From the resulting throw in Bedwas drove the ball forwarded before Arwel Hughes crashed through a pile of bodies to claim a try. Dixon added the conversion.
Just before half time Bedwas were awarded another penalty but vehement disagreement by Trebanos’s Rhys Harris saw his side marched backed twenty metres and Harris sin binned. Dixon successfully kicked the penalty as the referee blew his whistle for half-time was Bedwas 20 points to 9 ahead.
Dixon added further penalties after 46 and 53 minutes to increase the Bedwas lead before Trebanos pulled a try back through winger Alex McNamara who won the race to the ball from a kick through. Replacement Sam Davies was unsuccessful with his conversion kick.
James Dixon missed his only kick of the game after 27 minutes as Bedwas looked to make the game secure.
Trebanos tried to hit back but the Bedwas defence held them out.
With two minutes to play Trebanos grabbed their third try of the afternoon as back-rower Mackenzie Clayton found a gap in the Bedwas defence to cross close to the posts. Davies converted to put his side within 5 points of Bedwas.
A last gasp James Dixon penalty in stoppage time eased Bedwas nerves and the referee blew his whistle to end the game to the relief of the Bedwas faithful.
This game marked the 200th appearance for Bedwas’s Rhys ‘Butch’ Hutcherson who was presented with a club cap by Head Coach Pat McGee following the game. Everyone at Bedwas RFC would like to congratulate Rhys on this splendid achievement.
Next Saturday Bedwas host neighbours Bargoed in a league fixture, kick off is at 2-30pm.
The Bedwas Man of the Match sponsored by Casa Mia Restaurant of Caerphilly was awarded to James Dixon.
The match gallery is at: Bedwas RFC’s albums | Flickr
Rob Hill’s images are at: https://www.flickr.com/gp/123499803@N05/4d786tt111