Fixture

Beddau will be disappointed that they failed to capitalise on a number of chances to win this game but will, at the same time, acknowledge that Tata, too, will make valid claims to have done enough to earn the spoils.

Once again Beddau arrived at Margam under a grey blanket but, fortunately, the rain largely held off and the playing surface was, as so frequently here, exemplary.  It certainly appeared to be to Beddau`s liking early on when the backs gave the ball some air.  Too many passes failed to find the intended target though and when one apparently certain score was butchered the home side took heart and a strong run only foundered when a Beddau tackle dislodged the ball.  From the ground the ball was rescued by Tata centre Bleddyn Davies, who was surely offside, but when he was tackled the penalty went against Beddau and Lloyd Bradley made it 3-0.

A kick to touch was well rewarded when Beddau lock Rhys Owen had the ball stripped from his grasp on landing and Tata`s drive made headway.  A gap was engineered and a clever back of the hand pass was seized on by hooker Jordan Hawkins for a try that Lloyd Bradley converted to open a 10 points gap.

A response was needed and duly delivered.  Centres Zac Byard and Adam Ashford were proving troublesome and here they gave Cody Baker a glimpse of the outside.  The winger gathered his own chip and generated sufficient momentum to reach the flag for an unconverted score. 

With Beddau now launching a series of attacks some mayhem broke out.  Number 8 Rob Jones was tackled just short and in the flurry of arms and legs that followed Tata`s experienced tight head Dai Edwards saw red.  Beddau spurned the easy three points in favour of something more but could not dent a determined Tata defence.  It reached half time at 10-5.

There are some among the Beddau support who find the approach to penalties mystifying.  A kick in the shadow of the posts will invariably be placed to touch gaining a minimal amount of territory and subjecting a young and inexperienced pack to a set piece lottery whereas, as happened when Tata strayed offside a kick in excess of 40 metres was entrusted to Hywel Chatham who struck the points.

A long kick from Tata was gathered by Tom Slater who dummied the following-up tackler and set off on a counter.  Hi pass was taken by Leon Rogers who, in turn, made space for Adam Ashford.  The centre curved inside tacklers for a try that Hywel Chatham improved.

If Beddau felt that this would finally have cracked Tata`s resistance they were swiftly disabused.  A superb drive from a lineout take saw winger Steff Stone motoring to the flag.  A fine Adam Ashford tackle felled him but Number 8 Callum Bricknell grabbed the offload for a try that the flawless Lloyd Bradley goaled and a penalty from the outside half made it 20-15.

With time practically up Beddau were awarded a penalty at halfway that caused a Tata replacement to vehemently object.  The penalty was advanced but the objections intensified to the point that Mr Elfyn Morris-Roberts produced a further red card.  Beddau kept it tight but were unable to find the right pass.  Scrums were now uncontested and when Beddau`s replacement Number 8 Joe Miles raced clear from the back and made it all the way the cheers in Beddau throats were choked when the referee had ruled a scrummaging offence.  To pick up at an uncontested scrum the Number 8 must first have detached his binding.  It seems to follow that to reach for the ball anyway would require that.  Perhaps I am misreading something.  Whatever, Tata were happy to despatch the ball to touch and claim points they had fought for.