A draw was just about the right result, following a hard battle on another stormy Saturday afternoon, but Ebbw left it until the death to tie the game.

The first half belonged to Bedwas, but the first quarter was scoreless. Andrew Waite got the home side on the board with a try from a driving maul, followed by an almost repeat performance five minutes later that saw former Ebbw favourite, hooker Richard Wilkes, driven over for the score. James Dixon’s conversion made it 14-0.

Ebbw had rarely treatened up to this point but now began to find some firepower up front and put their hosts under the cosh. After a string of penalties, Andrew Waite was chosen to receive a yellow card, and Ebbw took advantage as Jordan Howells burst through to score. The teams went in at half time with Bedwas 14-6 up.

In fairness to both sides, they had to contend not only with each other but also with seriously unpleasant wind and rain, and a pitch that inevitably became heavier. Just as in the first half, there was no scoring until just over 20 minutes in, and it was Dan Crimmins who extended Bedwas’s lead; Dixon adding 2 to take the home side well clear at 22-6.
Ebbw now started to play their best rugby of the afternoon, pressurising Bedwas near their line and forcing the mistake that allowed Chris Thomas (?) to score and Iain Smerdon to convert. It was now all Ebbw as Bedwas dug deep to hold on, but conceded a penalty that Smerdon sent to touch deep in the home 22. A perfect Catch’n’Kynes followed, and Iain Smerdon had the task of converting to tie the game. He did so superbly, and the final whistle went with the score 22 all.
See you on Wednesday!