1ST XV - Match centre

Dunvant
Beddau Rugby Football Club
Sat 1 Apr 14:30 - League Full time

Late Surge Sees Grean & Gold Through In Season Finale

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Dunvant hearts broken as Beddau nick win right at the death

There are so many times you feel that Lady Luck has cheated and cost you something you barely deserved. At Broadacre, the home of Dunvant, the Lady obviously felt it was time for a little payback as it was the hapless home team, already relegated, who saw a 9 points lead stolen away at the very end.

Dunvant wanted to put on a show for their supporters in their final home game of the season but early pressure was weathered by the Beddau defence and with Adam Ashford accelerating into space it looked, briefly, as though Beddau would be on the board first. Some sturdy defending halted the first thrust and a turnover at the collision allowed home scrum half Gareth Davies some space. His quick delivery found Aled Lewis and the outside half sent left wing Adam Williams on a long run to the line. Aled Lewis converted.

A great lineout catch from skipper Lloyd Evans and a smooth Hywel Chatham break led to a dash from Adam Ashford which may have put Callum Wheeler in. The full back was tackled but Hywel Chatham was on hand for the try that he also converted to level the scores.

A spirited Dunvant attack ended with the award of a penalty when Beddau hadn`t released at the tackle. Aled Lewis kicked the points but Beddau were quickly on level terms when a spot of holding back was punished by Hywel Chatham.

There was little between the sides but Dunvant were beginning to edge the territory war and when a penalty was won in the 22 opted for a scrum. Possession was secured and a simple route one with scrum half Gareth Davies taking a return from Aled Lewis while Beddau were distracted by a dummy run from centre Danny Davies paid off beautifully. Aled Lewis converted the scrum half`s try.

Injury ravaged Beddau had suffered the loss of winger Tom Sheppard but when the Green and Gold, in turn, opted for a scrum in the Dunvant 22 it was Sheppard`s replacement Tyler Wells who cut the line and found Callum Wheeler in support. Hywel Chatham was unable to make the wide-angled conversion and it was 17-15 at the interval.

At the beginning of the second half Beddau`s scrum in the Dunvant 22 was under pressure but possession was salvaged and when Hywel Chatham picked out Callum Wheeler`s dart the full back repaid Tyler Wells by handing him a try scoring pass.

Players were continuing to pull up for Beddau and Lloyd Evans and Gabe Davies left in quick succession. With Davies off scrum half Dai Francis assumed a wing spot with Tyler Wells moving to his preferred slot in the centre. Jay Harris appeared briefly at scrum half but a knock to emergency winger Francis meant his return to Number 9 while Jay Harris now became a winger- the position that, at the moment, for Beddau, appears jinxed.

Soon Leon Rogers too had to be replaced and Bradley James, a hooker, was pressed into service. While all this was going on Dunvant were attending to business and a spiralling kick from Sam Hawkes led to a defensive scramble and a try for opportunist lock Josh Cuggy. Aled Lewis was narrowly wide with the kick but when flanker Jamie Nicholas sprinted through a gap to stretch the lead Lewis added the points.

With four minutes on the clock Beddau were now having to play for a losing bonus. The option to go for touch from a kickable position was a brave one given that the normal catch and drive target, Lloyd Evans, had been replaced. Marcus Jones, though, took the lineout catch and the drive was perfectly orchestrated for hooker Corey Tarrant to open his try scoring account.

From the restart Adam Ashford, Hywel Chatham and Callum Wheeler scattered defenders. A short pass was brilliantly picked up from his ankles by James Cashin and a quick transfer saw Corey Tarrant diving in at the flag for a thrilling, if unlikely, winning score.

Luck, it may fairly be said, was finally on Beddau`s side.

Report by Lynn West

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