WRU Division 4 East

GWERNYFED 48  BEDWELLTY 15  

Without a game for seven weeks as a function of the Six Nations, weather and opposition unavailability, Gwernyfed might well have been ring rusty as they took on a Sirhowy valley side that had only had one league defeat this term. To record a seven try win with a 33-point margin, even though one or two aspects of the green, white and black game showed the need for bit more match day practice, speaks volumes for a performance that is typical of those bringing big crowds to The Brian Jones Memorial Field.

From the first whistle skipper Jack Williams and his men were on the front foot. When Bedwellty got the occasional touch it came in the form of long clearance kicks which served only to see Gwernyfed’s speedy back three, Tyler Morris, Will Lloyd and Ryan Davies, run the ball back at the visitors who had no option but to deploy their big men in defence. It was inevitable that something had to give, that adage confirmed when a defender slowed down ruck ball illegitimately, Joe Winfield turning that indiscretion into three points in only the third minute.

It was seven minutes before Bedwellty ventured over the halfway line in any meaningful way. Their trip came to nothing when the ball was spilled, but things got worse when Gwernyfed’s pack offered number eight Lloyd Powell opportunity to pick up going forward. Powell’s power and speed have been a feature of the season so far and he didn’t disappoint on this occasion. A rumbustious run from twenty metres inside his own half took the Hay man towards the opposition 22. The defending full back approached only to see Powell release left wing Ryan Davies with a perfect pass. To Bedwellty’s credit the cover defence managed to halt Davies, but an offload back to Powell saw the attack finish with Powell finding scrum half Tom Griffiths on his elbow to complete a wonderful move. Inevitably Winfield added the two points.

The crowd had hardly settled down when the lead was extended. A Bedwellty attack was thwarted by a Tom Lloyd turnover. The resultant clearance was fielded by the visitors’ backs, but an attempt to find a way through Gwernyfed’s defence saw a long pass fall into the hands of fly half Winfield. Always the coolest on the pitch, Winfield allowed the opposition to approach before prodding the ball forty metres, the starting gun for a foot race. Not many will beat Dylan Skyrme for speed, and so it proved, the young centre adding another excellent try to the hatful he has this term.

Arriving with great expectations, Bedwellty could have been forgiven had they let their heads drop as they found themselves seventeen points down by the end of the first quarter. Instead they deployed their sizeable pack in a full-frontal assault. The home defence was sound, Jordan Curran, Prys Eckley, Toby Millington and Will Eckley prominent in the tackle area, but when a maul from a few metres out threatened the home whitewash a long arm from the Sirhowy Valley snaked out to get the visitors on the score board.

Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly dispelled. Winfield took the home side up the touchline courtesy of a couple of offences. The resultant line out yielded quick ball which Winfield threw wide to Will Lloyd. The Clyro man has an unerring instinct for the line and almost made it from 25 metres. When Lloyd was hauled down scrum half Griffiths arrowed a pass into the midriff of prop Cellan Skyrme who was unstoppable from five metres.

Bedwellty started the second period determined to keep the ball tight, depriving the Gwernyfed speedsters of opportunity. A series of scrums and rucks in Gwernyfed territory was the visitors’ best period of the game, the tactics rewarded with a try from short range by one of their big forwards.

The response was swift and decisive. The restart was fumbled, giving the green, white and blacks a scrum of the visitors’ 22. Hooker Kelly Evans delivered according to script, Lloyd Powell picking up at the base, scattering the defence and touching down with aplomb.

By now fresh legs were adding to Bedwellty’s woes, particularly in the form of Rhys Price who, when a labyrinthine run from Ryan Davies was brought to an end, took a short pass from scrum half Griffiths and barrelled over from ten metres, taking three defenders with him.

Not everything went to plan for Gwernyfed. A wonderful interception by Tyler Morris saw the full back sprint fifty metres for what looked an inevitable try, only to drop the ball when unchallenged. Bedwellty also scored a third try courtesy of their front five – though that effort was cancelled out when skipper Williams chased the restart, leapt above the defence and proceeded to weave his way to the try line for yet another splendid five-pointer.

The final try rather summed up the fortunes of the two sides. After securing a line-out five metres out, uncharacteristically the visitors spread the ball wide. The move came to nothing when the left wing was tackled ten metres out, but the worst of all worlds from Bedwellty’s perspective was that the loose ball fell to Ryan Davies. The winger showed a clean pair of heels to the despairing visitors to run in the seventh try from 80 metres.

A visit to Pontllanfraith beckons next week, after which Talgarth will empty as all concerned head off to Newcastle Emlyn where the green, white and blacks take on Neyland RFC in the semi-final of the WRU cup. Coaches Dodd, Lewis, Phillips and Thomas will look to iron out a couple of creases apparent in this game over the next fortnight, though it would be churlish to do anything other than celebrate another wonderful performance that leaves Gwernyfed unbeaten this term.