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Beddau 18 Glynneath 24

WRU National Championship

Match report by Lynn West

A casual approach led to Beddau`s undoing in the face of a determined and much-changed Glynneath who, in the wake of recent results, had dropped to the edge of the relegation battle. The visitors had demonstrated that their pack had come well-armed for the battle but it was in Beddau`s first meaningful foray that a late tackle on Hywel Chatham was penalised and Chatham, himself, landed the points.

Twice Glynneath scrum half Will Thomas plied the aerial route and twice Beddau failed to deal with it allowing Glynneath to take great chunks of territory. A surge up front almost produced a score but the resilience in Beddau`s defence held the ball up. Beddau were, however, penalised at the scrum with Glynneath opting to take a scrum. The scrum skewed well-off the perpendicular and referee Mr Cambourne was in no doubt that the responsibility was Beddau`s as he awarded a penalty try that Corey Jenkins improved.

What irony when, at the very next set piece it was Glynneath who were now guilty of swinging the scrum. Jay Harris quickly essayed a tap and go which took him to within striking distance of the line. From a lineout Beddau kept control until Jay Harris nipped in for the try converted by Hywel Chatham.

Beddau were now looking the more likely and when some broken play ball was gobbled up by Marcus Jones the flanker used his support runners as decoys as he reached the line for a fine solo score.

Again Glynneath kicked their way into Beddau territory and with the set scrum a powerful weapon looked to have created a try for winger James Roberts. Beddau`s Andy Evans carried his opposite number into touch but it was a marginal call as to whether the ball had been grounded. The decision was a lineout and Beddau, through captain Lloyd Evans broke away. The attack was halted with some holding back at the breakdown and Hywel Chatham made it 18-7 at the break.

From the start of the second half the game`s momentum swung drastically. To begin with, Beddau appeared to have fallen out of tune with Mr Cambourne and the penalties racked up. Corey Jenkins missed one hit one and then missed one. In 20 minutes Beddau conceded 8 penalties to nil and also suffered an injury to hooker Matthew Howells who had himself replaced Bradley James in the dying moments of the first half. The game had to proceed with uncontested scrums as neither hooker could continue. Howells had, in fact, missed a week`s training with a calf muscle complaint which had evidently been exacerbated.
Having received the ball from the first of the passive scrums Beddau appeared to feel that they could now show their paces. An ambitious pass across the face of the posts was spilled and Glynneath centre Ashley Evans picked up and had the strength to force his way to the line. Corey Jenkins converted.

Beddau would, obviously have learned from this. Well, no. Another bout of ball juggling in the Glynneath half resulted in the ball being coughed up. A weaving run from centre Greg Roberts was halted in the 22 but a recharged Glynneath pack drove on until flanker Leon Ward emerged from the bottom of the pile-up. Corey Jenkins added the finishing touches.

It later became a bitter sweet day for Glynneath`s exultant supporters as news arrived that their competing clubs in the relegation battle had all also won. It does mean, though, that struggling Bedlinog, with their seventh successive defeat are being sucked into the quicksand.