Treorchy RFC 15 Bedwas RFC 36
WRU Admiral Championship (East), Saturday 18 November 2023.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
Bedwas returned to winning ways with a bonus point victory over a dogged Treorchy side who refused to lie down.
On a windy, showery overcast November afternoon the home side got off to a good start as Callum Elward slotted a long range, wind assisted penalty to out his side ahead after just two minutes play.
Bedwas replied two minutes later. Adam Williams made good ground through two tackles to set up Lloyd Wilkins for a try in the corner. James Dixon added the conversion.
Again, Treorchy responded quickly and a smart kick through under the posts saw James Dixon tackle an advancing Treorchy player without the ball and Treorchy awarded a penalty try. Dixon was sin-binned for his indiscipline.
Bedwas retook the lead after 15 minutes. Hamish Anderson gathered his own chip kick over a Treorchy defender and raced over for a try. Lloyd Wilkins added the conversion.
Almost immediately Treorchy had a chance to reduce arrears after Bedwas were adjudged offside, but this time Elward’s penalty kick missed the target.
The remainder of the half remained scoreless but although had the better of the scoring opportunities half time came with Bedwas 14 points to 10 to the good.
Both sides changed their starting prop forwards at the start of the second half and this appeared to give Treorchy an advantage at scrum time, but it was Bedwas who notched the first points of the half. James Dixon successfully added a penalty conceded for a high tackle.
Lloyd Wilkins added his second try of the afternoon after 50 minutes, which with Dixon’s conversion made Bedwas’s advantage 14 points.
The lead proved useful as five minutes later Adam Williams was sinbinned for an alleged off the ball tackle which sparked a mini brawl.
There were no further scores during Williams’s enforced break but once they got back to a full complement of 15 players Harry Oliver broke through for the fourth Bedwas try of the afternoon, thus earning Bedwas a bonus point.
Bedwas discipline deserted them in the final 15 minutes as Lewis Bowden saw a yellow card for a no arms tackle and a few minutes later Lloyd Wilkins joined him on the sidelines for a deliberate knock on.
Fortunately, being shorn of two men galvanised Bedwas and with five minutes to play a storming 50 metre run by prop forward Ben Drew set up the supporting James Dixon to cross for a try which he successfully converted.
In the dying moments of the game Treorchy replacement Matthew Evans pulled a try back for his team converted by Callum Elward but Bedwas held out to secure a much-needed victory.
Next Saturday (25th November) Bedwas host our former coach Stefan Sankala’s Ystrad Rhondda side, kick-off 2-30pm.
Match gallery is at: Bedwas RFC’s albums | Flickr