Fixture

After the disappointment of last week’s visit to Nantyfyllon , Birchgrove answered the call to step up today and produced a fighting display to beat visitors Bridgend Athletic 30 – 19.

The start was not great as within minutes we found ourselves 7 points adrift as a Steff Gibson chip out from defence was golloped by an away tackler for an easy run in under the posts.

Birch though were showing great enterprise and with breakdown recycling reaching willing runners and confidently going through the phases a typical Lewis Cox surge down the touch line ended with Rob John going over for a converted equalising try 7 – 7.

Almost immediately we were ahead. A Leigh Di’uilio kick ahead was pursued with some vigour by Tom Lewis and with assistance from wing Hanno Dirkson and with the visiting defence in disarray Steff Gibson was over for a well-deserved 12 – 7 lead.

A Gibson penalty increased the lead to 15 -7 before forward pressure being exerted by Cox, Key, Lewis and Gorvett laid the foundations for try number three. A Gorvett drive carried on by strong running from Josh Jarrett put the dependable Ashley Evans over and at 20 – 7 the indifference of Nanty was well and truly buried

With the game settling a bit after the tremendous energy of the first 30 minutes the Athletic managed to fashion a forward dominated try despite great defending from the home side to take us in to half time 20 points to 12 in the lead.

The second half was to bring an early penalty form Gibson 23 – 12 and although possibly not as dominant as the early period of the first half the home side were still looking the better team with good cohesion between backs and forwards allied to strong defending when called upon to keep the Athletic at bay.

With a bonus point try now the goal and some new legs on up front an audacious Leigh Di’ulio turn over provided the platform for Steff Gibson to go in for the coveted extra point. With the conversion added and a comprehensive lead at 30 – 12 the job looked done and a well-deserved victory was ours to savour.

The Athletic continued with brave resolve though and were fighting to the end with a further try, their third, to reduce the deficit to 30 – 19. But the spoils were ours on the day from a hard fought and entertaining match.

There were a number of Candidates putting their hands up for Man of the Match today :-

Josh Key working his way back to his dominating best in the back row

Leigh Di’uilio with another brave and competent display, this time at Scrum Half

Lewis Cox with his usual abrasive running game

Rob Green ,cajoling , coaxing and full of vigour

A close-run thing but Josh Key gets the nod.

Next week we make the long trek to Mid Wales to take on Builth Wells who took the scalp of our Cup victors Porth Harlequins at Porth today 13 – 32. They must be in a big bubble after that so let’s see if we can burst it !  See you there.