Fixture

Timing means so much and in a week where Beddau hooker Ethan Coombes received a 4-week ban having been sent off for a tip tackle at Cardiff Met a Bedlinog player here was yellow carded for the same offence.  There is no sense of looking for any kind of revenge or recrimination but a little taste of consistency may go down well.  The WRU`s disciplinary panel after all cannot be unaware that a yellow card was the only sanction meted out in a high-profile WRU Cup tie played just three days after the fixture where Ethan Coombes was shown the door.

As to the game it was played out by two sides affected by injury and absence.  At tight head Beddau fielded Jason Ronan whose 40^th birthday is long in the past.  His replacement, Brian Edwards, last played 3 seasons ago.  He keeps very fit and promptly answered Beddau`s SOS and, like Ronan, put in a most acceptable shift.

Beddau are struggling at the wrong end of the table and while appearing a little more comfortable Bedlinog are not yet out of the woods and some of the play reflected that.  There were good periods, too and Beddau worked through the phases very well early on.  Zac Byard, taking on the goal kicking duties with Hywel Chatham nursing a muscle strain saw an effort drift narrowly wide before Bedlinog found an attacking opportunity.  A deep kick was well fielded in the Bedlinog back line and a swift counter attack launched.  When forwards arrived to take it on the scrum half picked up and reached the foot of the post for a try converted by the full back.

A silly offence by the Bedlinog lock who threw one arm around the neck of Hywel Chatham who was winning the race to a loose ball sent the perpetrator to the bin.  Beddau went to touch and drew an offside decision when setting up the drive.  Zac Byard collected the points.  Then came the incident that incensed Beddau supporters.  Jack Perkins took a short pass and burst the defence.  The Bedlinog Number 8 recovered and lifted Perkins in the tackle but then dropped him.  It was ugly and fully worthy of a red card.  Mr Darcy, the referee, had a clearer view and had first to deal with recriminating players and restore some calm.  The yellow card reduced Bedlinog, briefly, to 13 and Zac Byard landed the penalty.

Desperate defence had held a bout of Beddau pressure until Lloyd Peart stole away from a pile up and threw a pass that found Joe Casella.  The winger straightened and gave Zac Byard a try-scoring pass.  He was unable, though, to convert and when Bedlinog illegally baulked another attempt to recycle a further penalty slid just wide.  The pressure continued and Zac Byard converted a scrum penalty to take it to 14-7 and after more good work up front Hywel Chatham stepped neatly through for a try at the posts which also went unconverted to leave it 19-7 at half-time.

Bedlinog found touch from a penalty early in the second half and grouped around the ball carrier to mount an unstoppable surge to the line for an unconverted try.  Zac Byard landed a tricky kick when Bedlinog offended at a collision giving Beddau a still comfortale lead at 22-12.

It was Bedlinog who struck next when the scrum half repeated his earlier feat of stretching to the foot of a post with a swiftly taken drop kick completing the conversion.

Finger nails were being chewed at 22-19.  Zac Byard`s 45 metre kick was on course but a late curve took it away and Bedlinog, too, saw a penalty drift wide before, in the tenth minute of added time Hywel Chatham was able to stab the ball to touch to bring matters to a close.

This was a final hurrah for long-serving winger Joe Casella who is setting out for a new life in Canada.  He was unable to say farewell with a try but a typical piece of class opened the door to Zac Byard and it was his run to the corner that ultimately produced the ball that led to Hywel Chatham`s try.  Joe has served Beddau in two spells having joined Aberavon for a while before returning to his home club Rhiwbina; but something in the air had drawn him back and he will be missed.