Fixture

Bargoed travelled to Pontypool Park in a National Championship clash between the top two sides in the league.

Bargoed took huge travelling support, and with the home side well supported as well there was a bumper crowd in attendance for a pre Xmas cracker.

The game was edgy early on with a number of errors as both sides looked for opportunities in two tight defences. It was Pontypool who had the first opportunity as Bargoed spilled the ball in attack and Lloyd Lewis took off and would have made the try line but Rhys Humphries scrambles well and pulled off a try saving tap tackle.

Pontypool opened the scoring when Kieran Meek kicked a penalty to make it 3-0.

Bargoed has a period of pressure on attack and when Pooler infringed they were awarded a penalty but Steff Jones just missed with his kick.

The home side increased their lead with Bargoed conceding another contact area penalty, which Meek kicked to make it 6-0.

Bargoed were playing with width and testing the Pontypool defence, and after a series of penalties Pontypool Captain Scott Mathews was sent to the bin with a yellow card.

The Bulls capitalised on this and engineered a great try from Josh Prosser as they stretched the 14 man defence. Jones converted superbly from the touchline to make it 7-6

The home side fought back and when Ronny Kynes was yellow carded it looked like they would score but resolute defence from Bargoed let them out and they went in 7-6 up at half time.

Bargoed started the second half down the slope and early pressure saw them increase their lead to 10-6 as Jones kicked a penalty, and they started to take charge.

The home side fought back though, and dominated territory for the next 20 minutes, but they were unable to unlock Bargoed’s excellent defence.

Bargoed had the upper hand at scrum time and were dominating Pontypool and they also working hard in the contact area. However their failure to get a foot hold in the home side’s half cost them dearly as their kicking game and line-out struggled.

It looked as though Bargoed would hold on though with a superb defensive effort, but it was not to be as a speculative pass found flyer Lloyd Lewis who went over to score. Meek converted and the home side led 13-10 with five minutes to go.

Bargoed tried valiantly to get back in the box seat but it was the home side who held out to come out victorious in a tough encounter in difficult conditions.

Bargoed will look to bounce back with their next game on the 28 December at home against Bedwas, who are also unbeaten and now sit one place above Bargoed in the table.