Fixture

Pencoed RFC | 1st Team 7 - 34 Birchgrove RFC | 1st Team
Rhys Clarke
Try 1
Conversion 1
Penalty 1
Mathew Edwards
3 Conversion
1 Penalty
Lewis Steven Cox
1 Try
Christopher Alun Weightman
1 Try
Josh Key
1 Try
Lee Harris
2 Try

Match Report
20 January 2019 / Team News

BIRCHGROVE MARCH ON AS RESOLVEN AND PORTHCAWL SLIP UP.

Birchgrove opened up a 12 point lead at the top of the Table following today’s 10 - 34 bonus point win at Pencoed. Rivals Porthcawl went down 6 -9 to Ystradgynlais at home and Resolven also lost at home to our other challengers Nantyfyllon 26 -28

In poor conditions after persistent rain it was the home side who were quickest out of the blocks as Pencoed  moved the ball through the phases and inched their way towards the visiting line. A mix of the trade mark up front defending and astute use of the high clearance from half backs Leigh Di’luilio and Matthew Edwards soon took the game to the opposition 22.

A relatively simple passage of play between the half backs and full back Lee Harris, who is enjoying a renaissance following his earlier sabbatical, saw Harris make light of the conditions and glide over for the first try, unconverted 0 – 5.

The visitors kept the game on the boil at their pace and soon found themselves once more in an attacking position. This time it was the turn of the forwards to turn the screw as the  front row of  Callum Llewellyn, Liam Richards and Kyl Thompson, assisted by his new fluorescent go fast boots, led the charge to the line. The home defence was soon in disarray and Lewis Cox needed no second invitation to add to his already impressive try count with a conversion from Edwards 0 – 12

Pencoed to their credit tried everything to battle back but at this stage the stubborn defence of Birchgrove and the lack of spark behind was hindering them and although you sensed they would be rewarded at some stage it was Birchgrove who increased their lead with an Edwards penalty 0 -15.

So with Birchgrove winning the close quarter battles and bullocking runs from Liam Richards, Scott Beard, Tom Downing and Lewis Cox combining with the subtle runs of Josh Key and the teasing  probes of the backline a third try was on the cards. It was to fall once again to Lee Harris who spotting a loose ball following a passing move breakdown hacked on and followed up for his second try of the day Edwards to convert 0 – 22.

With a short time to go in an interesting first half the home side once again regenerated themselves to salvage something from the half and it was they who had the last word of the first session as Rhys Clarke finished off a dogged assault on the visiting line with a converted try.  Half time 7- 22

The second half started with the game having to revert to Passive Scrums as Pencoed ran out of front row options whilst Birch also required a re shuffle with stalwart centre Adam Percival suffering a horrendous gash to his forehead.

The inevitable effect of non contested scrums slowed the pace of the game a little as the second half got under way and Pencoed were able to assert  themselves in Birchgrove territory and they were the first to benefit from a successful penalty kick 10 – 22.

The game at this stage was also starting to turn in to a bit of a dogfight and needed a fillip and it was to come thankfully from the persistence of the visiting side. With a number of assaults on the line falling short as backs Rob John and Nathan Jones were held up the forwards continued to go steadily through the phases to maintain pressure on the home side. Their resolute defence was eventually breached as Josh Key went over in the corner finishing off a brisk handling movement from Lee Di’luilio, Scott Beard and Liam Richards for the all important bonus point try.

With the  game all but wrapped up Birchgrove provided the grandstand finish with forwards  Liam Richards, again, live wire  Rob Green and work horse Tom Downing setting Matthew Edwards up to feed on to Chris Weightman to go over for try number 5 converted by Edwards. Final Score 10- 34.

Next week brings Porthcawl to Parc Bedw, always a mouth watering prospect but more so next week as Porthcawl will I am sure be trying to put recent reverses behind them and get their promotion run back on track by taking the prized scalp of the leaders.

Bring it on ! Don’t miss it. Kick off 2.,30.

 

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