Fixture

Birchgrove kicked off the new season in Division 2 today with a long trek to the Ogmore Valley side Nantymoel and came out the other end with absolute credit and a 10 .33 victory.

With a side sporting an average age of about only 20 something Birchgrove kicked off their Division 2 adventure with great confidence and were soon pressing the home side line and with the forwards running well Adam Rowlands was given a long range penalty opportunity to open the scoring which fell just short. It didn’t take long though for another opportunity to come along and on this occasion Rowlands put the ball between the posts to register our opening  Division 2 points 0- 3.

 Birchgrove playing with confidence continued to dominate both possession and territory and a sharp Leigh Di’luilo penalty brought an infringement from the home defence leaving them a man down for ten minutes. Capitalising on this advantage Birch started to put some adventurous passages of play together and a sweeping move involving Adam Rowlands, Adam Percival,  twice , Leigh Di’luilio and Nathaniel Llewellyn resulted in lively open side Jack Perkins burrowing over for the first try converted by Rowlands 0- 10.

With the lineout functioning well and excellent first line defence nullifying the home side’s attempts to get back in to the game a second try was looking inevitable. It came courtesy of a rapid break from Adam Rowlands who was able to off load to Lee Harris, Jack Perkins, ever available, carried on the move and Skipper Scott Beard touched down for try No 2 again converted  by Rowlands 0 – 17.

This was all looking a bit too easy and as is the way on these occasions the visitors started to lose their way for a bit through some over elaboration and a short term abandonment of the basic simple principles of play that had stood them in such good stead in the opening exchanges.

As a result Nantymoel started to get back in to the game and their first try came from an unusual  Birchgrove defensive lapse, a conversion and a penalty which put then seemingly back in the game at half time 10 -17.

Buoyed by their fightback Nanty started the second half in sprightly fashion but were soon halted by a forward led response. The visiting scrum was now starting to dominate with young Kyl (no e ! ) Thompson, tight head Callum Llewellyn and hooker Liam Richards turning the screw.   Adam Rowlands was on hand to turn pressure in to points and stretch the lead with two penalties in quick succession and at 10 – 23 the visitors were back firmly in the driving seat and soon Rowlands was to add his fourth penalty 10 - 26

Nantymoel  playing for pride now continued to press but with limited ball and the dominant combination play of the visitors any threat was constantly  being snuffed out by the  aggressive defence led by Josh Key, Lewis Cox , Jack Perkins and second row pairing Scott Beard and Tom Downing.

 A turnover ball was to lead to the next score from what looked like a training ground move as Adam Rowlands fed Adam Percival who then returned the favour as the No 10 looped around. With plenty to do Rowlands completed the move with some aplomb to complete a mercurial display with a thirty yard run to the line for a try he inevitably converted to take the score to 10 – 33 and a personal tally of 23 points.

A great start to the new season and confidence will now be running high for the visit of near neighbours  Morriston to Parc Bedw next Saturday kick off 2.30