Fixture

Brecon RFC | 1st Team 20 - 12 Bedlinog RFC | 1st Team
Gari Davies
Try 1
Conversion 2
Drop Goal 1
Penalty 1
Jonathan James
Try 1
Lloyd Bennett
1 Conversion
Rhys Walker
1 Try
Luke Martin Morgan
1 Try

Match Report
18 May 2016 / Team News

Brecon 20 - Bedlinog 12

At the end of a season which has produced a mixed bag of results, Brecon could have been forgiven for viewing their final match with some trepidation. Their opponents, Bedlinog, came to Parc de Pugh with an outstanding record. Apart from defeat in their first league game, way back in September, they were unbeaten. In a season of unprecedented success they have been crowned as league champions, won promotion to the WRU Championship, won the SWALEC Plate in an exciting final against league runners up Penallta at the Principality Stadium and on the previous Saturday won the Glamorgan Silver Ball. With Brecon having lost heavily in their previous match to second placed Penallta, everything pointed to the fact that the home side may face a trying and testing evening, particularly as the side was forced into a number of last minute changes.

The match itself hardly followed the script. Brecon, rather than just going through the motions, were hungry to achieve a notable victory while Bedlinog were no doubt suffering from the after effects of a hectic finale to the season. A clear indication of how the match was going came when Brecon hauled themselves back into the match deep into the first half. Having gained an early lead Bedlinog looked comfortable and confident but when Brecon drew level with ten minutes of the half to go there was no doubt that they knew that this was to be no easy, end of season, celebration game. The Bedlinog captain berated his team in belligerent fashion suggesting that they had underrated their opponents and if they didn’t shape up they could lose. That possibility became a reality as Brecon outplayed their opponents to end their season with a notable scalp.

Desire was certainly one component that helped Brecon to their ninth league win of the season. Other factors included a magnificent defensive effort, for all but the first ten minutes of the game, a growth in confidence in offence and a great collective team effort which never flagged throughout the 80 minutes. The performance of the front row of Andrew Davies, Ryan Harris and Jim Williams exemplified all that was good about the overall effort. Under pressure from the first scrum they refused to buckle and all made big contributions both in tight and open phases of the game.

Brecon started the game brightly with both second row Danny Howe and No 8 Ewan Williams setting off on powerful runs which unsettled their opponents. In truth Brecon should have gained an early score but lack of composure at critical moments denied them the score they eagerly sought. With no points on the board Bedlinog suddenly sprung to life. They cut open the Brecon defence with a wonderful loop in mid field and exerted pressure deep in the Brecon 22. Brecon resisted. Twice the visitors attempted to use a powerful driving maul to breach the home line and twice they were repulsed. Then having worked their way out of their 22 they then committed a cardinal error. An attempted chip ahead gifted possession to the sharp Bedlinog backs and after a number of phases Brecon’s defence crumbled and Bedlinog scored a try under the posts making the conversion a formality.

With their tails up Bedlinog now looked dangerous and Brecon were confronted by the massive challenge to trying to stop their opponents running away with the game. Eifion Jones in mid-field produced a number of outstanding tackles and as time wore on, without Bedlinog making any further gains on the scoreboard, Brecon began to believe that they could live with and carry the game to their opponents.

Wing Matthew Watkins led the offensive with a great catch under pressure and a break into the visitors 22. When Brecon won a penalty they showed confidence and went for a line out in the corner. After a series of phases second row Jonathan James showed just how much he has improved in the last few matches as be burst through a number of defenders to score near the posts. Gari Davies levelled the score with a conversion.

The half finished with Brecon completely on top. Twice they lost the ball as they were going for the line and once they were held up over it. During this period in particular second row Danny Howe was very prominent.

The second half could not have started any better. Gari Davies made a stunning break on the Bedlinog 10 metre line and having broken the defence he sprinted in for a try which he converted. Within minutes he was on the score sheet again as he slotted a neat drop goal to put Brecon two scores ahead.

The Kick off, as it has been so many times this season, was a disaster. Bedlinog claimed the ball and a great flowing move saw them cross in the corner. At this point one wondered whether Brecon would have the tenacity to hold out. They answered this question in the most emphatic fashion. Bedlinog pressed hard, first through forward drives and then by putting width on the ball but no matter what they tried they failed to break Brecon’s defence even though it was under severe pressure. That pressure was eventually relieved when Brecon claimed a line out, set a maul and drove up-field. The maul was brought down and from the resulting penalty Brecon entered opposition territory. Another line out drive led to another penalty and Gari Davies completed a full hand of scores by kicking a long range penalty.

Brecon then threatened to take the game completely away from their illustrious hosts but although they pressed the failed to make territory count. With time running out Bedlinog threw caution to the wind and attacked from anywhere but Brecon were not to be done out of a notable victory. As their opponents became more desperate so their grip on the game tightened and at the final whistle were worthy winners and ended the season on a high with an outstanding win.

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