Fixture

argoed registered their first win in the Premiership with a comprehensive bonus point victory over fellow promotees Swansea. It was a welcome confidence booster following the narrow defeat against Neath on the opening weekend and the loss away to Llandovery last week.

The All Whites opened the scoring with a Jac Wilson penalty on 10 minutes but the home side hit back with the first try of the game just four minutes later. Outside half Sam Withers put a penalty into touch 15 metres from the Swansea line. The forwards drove at the line and Rhys Morgan, Ian Jenkins and Ross Coombes all went close but some desperate defending kept them out. Eventually the pressure told and second row Bryce Morgan crossed from short range. Withers added the conversion and Bargoed were ahead by 7-3.

The Bargoed crowd were on their feet moments later when wing Lewis Hudd fielded a high kick deep in his twenty-two and attacked the line breaking free with no-one between him and the line but referee Wayne Davies had been playing an advantage and called him back for a Swansea penalty which was duly converted by Wilson.

Bargoed piled on the pressure and really should have gone further ahead with great surges by Bryce Morgan and fellow second row Louis Blacker but Swansea held out and cleared their lines.

Whites' Jac Wilson missed two kickable penalties before putting the third over to make it 7-9 with the half coming to a close. Wing David Evans took the restart and made ground with prop Keiron Brown in support. Great hands from hooker Ian Jenkins set Hudd away but he was stopped and centre Darren Humphries came in like a flanker picked up and stretched out to just reach the whitewash. Withers converted and Bargoed were in front 14-9 at the break.

Bargoed did themselves no favours from the outset giving away three penalties in quick succession and a fourth was just too much for Wayne Davies and the Llanelli referee flashed a yellow card to centre Phil Price for slowing the ball down at a ruck under the Bargoed posts. Surprisingly, Swansea called a scrum rather than take three easy points and moments later rued that decision when the Bulls' pack drove them off their put-in and were awarded a penalty which Withers cleared to touch.

Jordan Purcell was unlucky to be beaten by the deadball line following a fine box kick from scrum half James Pizey. Swansea's mistakes were mounting and a long raking kick looked to be going dead under the supervision of an All White defender but referee and touch judge consulted and decide that he had misjudged the touch in goal and conceded a scrum five.

The scrum went down and was reset, this time it wheeled and Pizey had a dart from the base but was held up, the ball was recycled and number eight Ross Coombes took it at pace and went over near the posts. Withers converted to make it 21-9.

Swansea were making no headway and Bargoed captain Leigh Meades, on as a replacement and starting his first game of the season, took the sensible option of going for the posts with a penalty directly in front to take the game away from the visitors at 24-9 with three minutes left and leaving them with little time to score twice to secure a losing bonus point.

With the game deep into stoppage time, the Bulls were content with the four points for a win but wing David Evans cut through the flat Swansea line from a turnover on half way, drew the defence and put full back Jordan Purcell into the corner for the bonus point try. Withers missed the conversion but the game was over to the delight of the home supporters.

Bargoed Chairman Neil Carter was full of praise for his side "We were taught a lesson last week and it was important that we bounced back quickly. We did that and more today - we know that Swansea would have targeted this game as we did and to outscore them 4 tries to nil was a credit to the squad and the coaches for their preparation off the field and execution on it."