Fixture

It could, so easily, have been one of those games that slipped away from Beddau`s grasp.  For once the Gods of the Bouncing Ball smiled more kindly on the home side leaving Tata to rue moments of misfortune and a contentious “no try” ruling.  The game, though, was not a matter of fortune but a compelling contest played with an intensity that was a credit to both sides with the empathetic refereeing of John Darcy adding to the mix.

A sliced kick from defence gave Tata outside half Dan Guarneri a counter attacking opportunity and soon Beddau were at full stretch to hold the visitors at bay.  A fumbled pass was scooped up by Beddau`s flying wing James Davies who covered the 70 metres to score at the flag.  Hywel Chatham was unable to convert and with Tata continuing to press Guarneri made it 5-3 with a penalty he had won when tackled late.

From the restart Beddau attempted to give the ball some air but with Jack Secher illegally held at the tackle Hywel Chatham stroked the penalty to regain the five-point advantage.  A powerful scrum gave Tata a penalty but Guarneri`s effort struck the outside of the post.

Tata were edging it at this stage but Beddau had begun to pick up the tempo and when returning flanker Jordan Goodwin was blatantly obstructed in the 22 Hywel Chatham made it 11-3.

Goodwin was back in the picture when he disrupted a Tata lineout for a miscreant in the resulting scuffle to be identified and it was the slightly unfortunate Tata lock Brett Thomas to be shown yellow.   Beddau then attacked from the next lineout with centres Lewis Egal and Tyler Wells leading a thrust along the left touchline.  When this was held Lewis Egal was again instrumental in keeping the defence occupied and some swift passing saw James Davies go past a tackler on the touchline for his second try to bring up an interval score of 16-3.

A confident looking Beddau stretched the Tata defence with Hywel Chatham and Adam Ashford prominent in gaining good ground.  Flanker Tom Axenderrie made a burst for the line and his offload was gathered by Ben Stephens to claim a try at the posts.  Hywel Chatham converted and it was 23-3.

Tata, despite being a man light, and seeing their scrum on the backfoot, picked up at the set piece and flankers Giggs and Malone made headway.  From the ensuing pile-up Tata lock Huw Thomas spotted a gap and slipped through to score a fine try which went unconverted.

This is where Beddau, traditionally this season, suffer an attack of the jitters and throw away much of the hard work that has gone before.  Not today, though.  Not yet, at least.  Some good running by the outside backs after Number 8 Jack Perkins made a great carry was sped from Jack Secher to Hywel Chatham and the outside half took it on at pace before finding Tyler Wells for a try that Chatham converted; 30-3.

Wells made another clean break into the 22 but his unselfish offload was picked off by the tall Jack Brooks.  Not only was the danger averted but Brooks led a counter attack which the pacy Tata backs turned into a touchline try for Geraint Llewellyn.

Tata were now trying to run from anywhere and when Dan Guarneri was prevented from playing his own grubber drop out Beddau`s Tom Axenderrie was carded.  Tata could sense a change of momentum and where Beddau`s centre pair of Egal and Wells were Beddau`s creative force the same was true of Jack Brooks and Morgan Williams in Steel`s midfield.  A move which involved both and the lively full back Lloyd Rogers was finished by Morgan Williams with Guarneri losing no time in sending a drop kick over the bar; 30-20.

Forwards player-coach Ben White hadn`t reappeared for Beddau at the interval but now he made his presence felt at the touchline as he urged his charges to look after the ball.  This they did and when Hywel Chatham slid a measured kick to touch some more unwise play by the Tata forwards led to a yellow card and a penalty that Chatham goaled.

There were a few minutes still to play but Beddau were not to be undone.  Tata will point to a try from scrum half Steff Davies at a ruck where Mr Darcy ruled that Jack Perkins had held him up and the hapless scrum half had also knocked on in open play after a run from the speedy Amir Walji had opened Beddau`s defence.  In mitigation Steff Davies was already stumbling before the quick pass reached him.

This 5 point win has lifted Beddau from 12^th to 9^th in the dogfight at the bottom.  There is much still to do but this was a heartening way to get started.  On Wednesday, 20 February Ystrad Rhondda are the visitors in a mouth watering Mid District Cup tie before Beddau head to Newcastle Emlyn on 2 March in the continuing fight to avoid relegation.