Fixture

Division 1 East side Bedlinog rode in to town today with an excellent Cup pedigree as winners of the plate competition in 2015/16 and having been unluckily relegated from the Championship last year. It was Birchgrove who took the Plaudits though with a well deserved 26 – 6 victory.

The early exchanges were quite physical and cagey with territory and possession being equally shared. The visitors however were starting to shade  both these areas as the first score came after  20 minutes of hard graft from both sides. Bedlinog’s Dan Parry had already been unlucky striking a post with his first penalty attempt but made sure of attempt number two as he put the visitors ahead 0 – 3.

Birch though kept a cool head and started to build up their own attacks with Rob Scrine and Adam Rowlands  keen to get the backs running but being hampered by the close attention of the Bedlinog back row and the game entered a bit of a stalemate stage with the ball seeing a lot more air than either of the supporters groups liked to see.

The home team stuck gamely to their plan though and with a steady tight scrum performance although consistently hampered by the shrill tone of the referee’s whistle, allied to the tremendous breakdown work of Josh Key, Stephen Crane and an outstanding destructive performance from Jack Perkins they were to get their reward. A solid drive from the home forwards saw Rob Scrine and Josh Key combine at the base of the scrum supported by tight head Joe Davies. Quick ball from the resultant ruck gave Scrine the opportunity to pop the ball up to the advancing Adam Percival to go over for the first try of the game converted by Matthew Edwards 7 -3.

Bedlinog were still showing resilience at this stage but with a limited range of tactics and with the close combat being slowly dominated by Birch it was Jack Perkins again making a nuisance of himself in the breakdown area that brought the next score a further penalty from the reliable boot of Matthew Edwards and a 10 – 3 half time lead.

From the restart the visitors were quick to react to their half time verbal roasting as they clattered Adam Rowlands fielding the kick off but were judged to have been a bit too keen as was the case on a number of occasions as play now entered quite a frantic stage. It was the home side though who came closest to a score as a sweeping move involving Rowlands, Nathaniel Llewellyn,Perkins , Scott Beard and Liam Richards almost came off.

Bedlinog were now looking to be a bit more expansive also but were hampered by the loss of their free running powerful full back through injury which coincided with the Birchgrove pack starting to exercise much more control.( A result of Joesph Davies softening up the opposition loose head for 40 minutes and a fresh Callum Llewyllyn coming on to take advantage I’m told ). Whatever the reason a massive 20 yard rolling maul was rewarded with a penalty and Edwards again made no mistake to give the home side a 13 point cushion 16 – 3.

The game continued in a fashion which the purists may not have wished for but this was a battle royal between two good sides and  no quarter was to be given by either. Bedlinog were not there to roll over and a penalty converted again by Parry gave them heart at 16 – 6.

But our own metronomic points machine Mr Matthew Edwards was quick to convert the good work of his forwards with another penalty  and at 19 – 6 you felt even if the game was  not won the balance of power had tilted well in our favour. More of the same was required to see the game out and to a man the home side stuck to their guns and once again a disrupted breakdown was to lead to the final score.

A bouncing ball was hacked on by stalwart second row Tom Downing and who joined the chase ? The script was already written he already had his penalties and a  conversion, a try must be waiting. Well it was another race he won. A  touch down, another conversion and 21 points in the match for Matthew Edwards but who I am sure would be the first to agree that this was as solid and all round team effort as we have seen so far in this season of pleasant successes.

Well done to all concerned and whilst no one is mentioning the F word yet another home draw would be a helpful lift on the arduous journey to the hallowed fields of the Principality Stadium .

Back to league action next week and the season turn around brings Tondu to Parc Bedw kick off 2.30.