Blackwood were having the better of exchanges when left wing Ieuan Coombes gathered a lose ball and turned defence into attack with a fine run. He looked for support when a try on the outside looked on but with Robert Downes and Bradley Coombes able to keep the move alive Steve Robinson completed the try and added the conversion.
Despite that spectacular opening it was still Blackwood calling the shots and a try by centre Adam Jones who found a gap between the centres to score at the posts was well deserved. Jeremy Roberts converted. A wide angled penalty from Steve Robinson came back from the posts but Beddau's over-eagerness allowed Blackwood to clear to touch. Beddau by now had the scent though and a damning broken field run from number 8 Abraham Papii opened the way for a try for Glen Slater.
If Blackwood had fallen to a sucker punch for the opening score they would have felt sick to see it happen again. From a defensive scrum though Cameron Pimlow manufactured a pass that sent speedy centre Robin Lock scampering away. Ieuan Coombes was in support and finished superbly for a try that Steve Robinson converted.
Twice before the interval a now rampant Beddau opted not to kick for the posts. One penalty went to touch and although the lineout was safely won a stray forward entered the ensuing maul through the side door and the chance had gone. The next one was in the shadow of the posts but young Papii rushed a tap and go and was penalised for not releasing in the tackle.
Half time arrived at 19-7. Would Beddau rue failing to gather at least one of the penalty goals on offer? For a while the seas were calm enough with most of the play at the Blackwood end. A comedy of errors then evolved to Blackwood's advantage. Behind a strong drive by the well drilled pack Blackwood had advanced into a threatening position. The ball went to ground as a move faltered but an ambitious attempt by Beddau to pop the rolling ball up to a support player saw it fly, instead, to Blackwood centre Adam Jones who strolled in for an easy score that Jeremy Roberts converted.
Robin Lock had been a prominent attacker for Beddau and now he cut a swathe through the Blackwood defence. Cameron Pimlow supported and found Bradley Coombes with a well timed pass. The centre is generally lethal in these positions and so it proved as he shook off one tackler and stepped another on his way to the bonus point score. Steve Robinson again converted.
Once again though, Blackwood picked up the challenge. A series of drives put them in sight of the try line and when lock Leigh Taylor rolled away from a maul to claim a try that Adam Jones converted the game was thrown into a balance. Beddau made no further mistakes and were in fact well in the ascendancy when the final whistle blew.
It was a game where Beddau's attacking instincts could have produced a spectacular result but also one where Blackwood's resilience might have seen them grind out a win. Beddau will be glad to have hit the ground running after another enforced rest and will be looking to bring the season, with just four league games left, to a flourishing conclusion.
# | Team | Pl | Pts |
1. | Ebbw Vale | 22 | 95 |
2. | Bargoed | 22 | 86 |
3. | Newbridge | 22 | 83 |
4. | Gilfach Goch | 22 | 73 |
5. | Beddau | 22 | 55 |
6. | Treorchy | 22 | 45 |
7. | Blackwood | 22 | 45 |