Bedwas RFC 46 Ystrad Rhondda RFC 17
WRU Admiral Championship (East) Saturday 25 November 2023.
Match report and photography by Ian Lovell.
Expectation plays a major role in following your side. Given Ystrad Rhondda’s start of eight wins from nine games not many Bedwas fans expected a home victory in this game. Certainly, nobody expected Bedwas to win by such a convincing margin having dominated the game from the first whistle to the last.
On a cold, bright November afternoon Bedwas got off to a great start and took the lead after only three minutes. Hamish Anderson did well to keep the ball in play from a kick through and his knock down into the hands of the supporting Lloyd Wilkins was rewarded with a try. James Dixon added the conversion.
The home faithful didn’t have to wait long for their team’s second try. Dale Rogers made a break in midfield before slipping a pass to Adam Williams to run in from 35 metres for his side’s second try of the afternoon. Dixon’s conversion putting Bedwas 14-0 ahead with only 6 minutes played.
Ystrad tried to respond but on point defending from Bedwas and some mishandling from the visitor’s attack kept them out until the 21st minute when left winger Kurtis Williams found space to cross for a try converted by Rhys Truelove.
Shortly afterwards Dixon added a penalty after Ystrad were adjudged offside to increase the Bedwas lead.
Ystrad pulled a try back just after the half hour as inside centre Cole Morgan crossed, Truelove, however, missed the conversion. More excellent defence from Bedwas saw no more scores at the end of the first period.
Bedwas scored the important first points of the second half as James Dixon saw a gap and ran through for a try he converted himself. Dixon missed a penalty shot minutes later but shortly afterwards Ystrad found themselves a man short as Cole Morgan was sinbinned for backchat to the referee.
Dixon further increased the Bedwas lead three minutes later with a successful penalty goal, but Ystrad were not going to cave in and from an attack deep in the Bedwas half Harry Oliver was adjudged to have committed an offence at a ruck and was subsequently yellow carded.
Oliver’s dismissal didn’t affect the Bedwas rhythm and a break off the back of a scrum by Dale Rogers put the supporting Aaron Billingham in for an unconverted try which gave a Bedwas a bonus point for scoring 4 tries.
Three minutes later Adam Williams broke from deep to touchdown in the left corner with a Ystrad coach yellow carded for disputing the referee’s decision to award Bedwas the try. Dixon’s conversion put Bedwas 39 points to 12 ahead with 10 minutes remaining.
Ystrad scored their third try of the afternoon with two minutes left to play as Kurtis Williams grabbed his second of the day, touching down under the posts. In their haste to try and salvage a four try bonus point of their own the conversion was missed.
Bedwas continued to take the game to the visitors and after three scrums where the visitors were deemed guilty of scrum offences the referee awarded Bedwas a penalty try, followed immediately by the final whistle.
This was by far the best performance of the season by Bedwas to date, the whole twenty on duty Bedwas should be proud of their efforts.
Next week (Saturday 2nd December) Bedwas make the short journey to Cross Keys RFC looking to build on this excellent performance.
The Bedwas Man of the Match award, sponsored by Casa Mia Restaurant of Caerphilly was awarded to Number 8 Lewis David.
Today’s match gallery is at: Bedwas RFC’s albums | Flickr