Fixture

After last week’s nail biting Cup win it was back to the league today and unbeaten Kenfig Hill presented a tough task at home.

Well we were up to the task and more, in conditions that did not lend themselves to Japanese style running Rugby  Birchgrove got the better of the conditions and the opposition to run out 22 – 3 victors.

Birch were first on the score sheet when after a bit of forward arm wrestling Matthew Edwards stepped up to convert a penalty 3 – 0.   This was followed by a further 3 points from the same source as Kenfig  were falling foul of the referee and the aggressive spoiling of the home side as they tried incessantly to hold on to their hard won ball but interspersing it with short and sharp sometimes unsuccessful offloads 6 -0.

It was becoming apparent that this was never going to be a classic Rugby encounter and the visitors were given some heart as following their first incursion into the home 22 after about twenty minutes of the game they came away with a successful penalty  6 – 3.

The pattern continued and play swung from 22 to 22 with neither side really threatening the opponent’s line.  Birchgrove though looked the more solid side with Adam Rowlands, restored at 10, consistently testing the away defence when in possession and the tight and disruptive defence of Josh Key , Jack Perkins, Adam Percival and Liam Richards closing down the fairly narrow attacking threat of the opposition.

A further excellently struck penalty from all of 40 yards from Matthew Edwards took the game in to half time with Birchgrove well worth their 9 – 3 lead against the previously unbeaten Kenfig outfit.

The second half kicked off with the home back line looking to take advantage of the attacking forward platform where scrum and lineout were performing well and the combative skills of Leigh Di’luilio were in evidence. A run by Curtis Davies was arrested but the referee brought play back for yet another visiting transgression and who else but Matthew Edwards extended the lead to 12 – 3.

New signing Ashley James, joined the fray and added to the already positive scrum performance and a forward drive of about 25 yards further built up confidence and a scrum penalty gave Matthew Edwards the opportunity to stretch the lead to 15 -3 which he dutifully did.

Birchgrove were now looking to dominate things and despite going a man down for 10 minutes were still looking the better team and although under a little bit of pressure it was they who were to finish with a flourish. A loose ball in their own 22 was hacked on by Edwards whose dribbling skills took the home side to within about 15 yards of the visitor’s line.

Buoyed by some fresh legs and a restoration to 15 men we managed to secure a consistent attacking position in the visiting 22. A good line out which had been functioning well throughout the day gave the pack a final opportunity to drive towards the line. A little bit of juggling left Josh Key in possession, Rowlands took the off load and Adam Percival was on hand to go over for the game’s only try, converted by Edwards for a well deserved 22 – 3 victory

Next week we go to Dunvant, a well established and successful team who to be fair epitomise the opportunities that exist in the grass roots of Welsh Rugby. Like them or not, they rose from a small village  Club to participate in the highest ranks of Welsh Rugby in the 1990’s. At their peak in 1999 they were rubbing shoulders and successfully competing with the Swansea’s and Llanelli’s of the time. They participated in a European Challenge Cup and a Newcastle side boasting Jonny Wilkinson and Va’aiga Tuigimala  graced the Broadacre pitch. Okay the bubble may have burst as a result of them eventually having to trade pints for pounds in the player payment process but they remain a formidable entity and to take their scalp will be a feather in the cap of our own developing story of success.

So let’s go for it boys and make our own bit of history.