Fixture

Bargoed and Merthyr agreed to reverse fixtures as Bargoed Park was unplayable due to the incessant rain. Conditions at the Wern were appalling with wind and driving rain but the playing surface held up remarkably well. Bargoed played into the wind and the game was a predictable arm wrestle for much of the first 25 minutes but all that changed with a yellow card shown to Blues wing Lewis Protheroe for entering a ruck from the side with 28 minutes gone.

Three minutes later, Merthyr second row Craig Lock took a tackle and offloaded around the back of the defender to the lurking Andy Powell - the number 8 running in from 20 metres on the wing where Protheroe would have been covering. Full back Matthew Jarvis converted.

The home side doubled their lead 5 minutes later, fomer Bargoed rop James Howe putting flanker Tom Daley away with Jarvis adding the extras to make it 14-0.

Just before the break both hookers were shown yellow cards by Chepstow referee Gareth John for a ruck incident and Merthyr took their 14-0 lead into the break.

Merthyr played the conditions better during the first quarter of the second half and extended their lead on 57 minutes with scrum half Rhys Downes feeding centre Tom Hiscock to make it 21-0 with Jarvis' third conversion.

Bargoed registered their first points with a Leigh Meades special, the hooker popping out through the  middle of a ruck and rounding under the posts. Matthew Hurley converted to make it 21-7.

An unfortunate mistake by the referee missing an obvious knock on upset the Bargoed supporters as Ben Murphy went over for the bonus point try but the home side were happy to take it and Jarvis again added the extras.

Bargoed weren't finished and exerting pressure in the scrum as they had done throughout the game, forced Merthyr to defend their line and eventually the Blues broke through with Matthew Hurley adding his weight to a driving maul to score under the posts and adding the conversion to make it 28-14 with 3 minutes left. The Blues pressed for a third try to secure a losing bonus point but Merthyr managed work their way back upfield won a penalty, tapped and went quickly for Alex Howman to score in the corner. Jarvis failed with his fifth attempt and Merthyr ran out 33-14 winners.