Fixture

We traveled to Baglan hoping for a win to keep us in the hunt for the title, but Baglan took the spoils to keep them on top of a very competitive league. But after this reverse we can still win promotion with the top teams having to play each other twice.

Baglan kicked off down the slope and we knocked the ball on straight away from the resulting scrum we got a push on but scrum half Jonathan  Howells was a little quick to come round and was judged to be offside and Dan Blethyn kicked a easy penalty for a very early lead. Both teams were probing at every opportunity and the two scrum half's had a right battle throughout the game. The score stayed at 3 points to nil up until the 30th minute when we were attacking down the left and after a tackle by the Baglan defence their hooker killed the ball and was rightly shown the yellow card. From the resulting scrum Jonathan Howells picked up and crossed for a unconverted try. After 35 minutes we lost prop Kevin Rhys Jones to the bin for a neck roll Blethyn took a pop at goal but hit the posts Baglan regathered the ball and from a grubber kick through we were judged to have carried over and from the resulting scrum number 8 Chris Hunt picked up and powered over for a try which Blethyn converted for a half time lead of 10 points to 5.

We kicked off the second half down the slope with some high hopes and after 4 minutes of the half full back Rhodri Thomas put over a penalty from half way. Both teams were going at each other hammer and tongs but the game never looked as if it would boil over and Referee Mr Jason Ludgate proved to be a excellent referee. I can't understand why we keep on turning penalties down when they are in a good position, Baglan won two penalties and Blethyn duly slotted them to increase their lead to 8 points. Both teams kept attacking at every opportunity and from a scrum close to the Baglan try line we should have scored a try when we dropped the ball under the posts for a easy 7 pointer with some 20 minutes left it would have been game on. The score stayed at 16 points to 8 going into the last play and Baglan wrapped the game up with a try from flanker Luke Rees which Blethyn slotted the conversion from the touch-line.

A fine game which both teams should be proud of. No game next week because of the Wales v England game but we shall be back in league action on 2nd March Banwen at Ynyscorrwg Park..