Maesteg Harlequins RFC 15 Bedwas RFC 25
WRU Championship Cup, Round 1, Saturday 15 October 2022.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
Bedwas eased through to the second round of the Championship Cup, overturning a fifteen-point deficit at a wet, windy South Parade.
Bedwas started well and had plenty of possession and territory in the initial stages, but Maesteg’s defence held firm.
Against the run of play Maesteg took the lead. Off the back of the scrum quick ball put scrum half Jacob Williams into a gap and he ran through from deep to cross for a try. Owen Howe added the extras.
The Bedwas restart went out on the full in the swirling wind, but no further score was added.
Maesteg increased their lead halfway through the half. From a scrum number 8 Andrew Healey powered over, Howe added the conversion to see his side twelve points to the good. It got worse for Bedwas shortly afterwards as Howe kicked a penalty goal to increase his sides lead.
Bedwas got on the scoreboard after 32 minutes. From a line out close to the home try line Ben Drew peeled off the back of a maul to score in the corner. Lloyd Wilkins kick was unsuccessful.
Bedwas kept up the pressure and shortly before half time a Bedwas maul was illegally pulled down by a Maesteg defender, giving the referee no option other than to award a penalty try.
Starting the second half three points adrift Bedwas were immediately on the offensive and once again Maesteg were punished for bringing down a rolling maul. This time the referee awarded Bedwas a penalty try and despatched a Maesteg player to the sin bin.
Owen Howe had a chance to reduce arrears after 50 minutes, but his long-range penalty goal attempt fell short.
Bedwas made regular substitutions but neither side could increase their score until the 75th minute when Bedwas replacement James Hallett added a penalty goal.
With the last kick of the afternoon a second Hallett penalty from a similar position to the first one ensured there could be no comeback from the home side.
Next Saturday it’s back to League rugby and it’s another trip up the Llynfi Valley to Maesteg Harlequins, kick-off 2-30pm.
Images from today’s game can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bedwasrfc/albums