Bedwas edged out Cross Keys in a Principality Premiership clash last Saturday, a result which sees Keys now 5 points from guaranteed safety whilst Bedwas have created a gap between themselves, in the first guaranteed safe position and the other clubs below them in the bottom 4.
Keys started the game well and went ahead after around 4 minutes when full back Carwyn Penny kicked a penalty from in front of the posts from around 30 metres after Bedwas had offended with Keys looking to attack from a ruck. Bedwas had an opportunity to level the scores with 8 minutes played but a penalty kick from full back Joseph Scrivens was missed from around the 22 metre to the left of the posts.
The scores were levelled with almost 15 minutes on the clock when, from around 15 metres Scrivens made no mistake with his second penalty attempt of the game as Keys were penalised for an early tackle.
The Keys quickly reclaimed the lead when outside half Iwan Burgwin crossed for the games opening with a little under 19 minutes played. A break from his own 22 by Keys full back Carwyn Penny put Keys on the front foot but Penny was hauled down on the halfway line. Keys recycled the ball quickly but lot possession only for Bedwas to spill the ball and Burgwin reacted quickest to kick the loose ball through and he showed excellent footballing skills to hack through again as the ball moved toward Bedwas 22 before Burgwin followed his own kick to touch down under the posts for the try. Carwyn Penny added the straight forward conversion with Keys leading going in to the second quarter.
Keys probably should have scored again immediately from the restart as Garin Price made an excellent break to bring Keys toward the Bedwas 22 once more. The ball was recycled quickly through the hands and out wide where Tiaan Loots was tackled just short of the Bedwas try line before conceding a penalty for not releasing the ball and the home side were able to clear their lines as a result.
The Keys were reduced to 14 men with almost 30 minutes played when centre Dylan Fidler was sent to the sin bin for a no arms tackle as Bedwas attacked inside the Keys’ 22. A succession of penalties saw Bedwas stay deep in Keys’ territory and the pressure from Bedwas eventually told as a break from flanker Jonathan Armitage put the home side in behind the Keys defensive line and Armitage found support on his shoulder thanks to Luke Crane and the scrum half did the rest to score under the posts for the try with 5 minutes of the half remaining. Joseph Scrivens added the simplest of conversions to level the scores.
Half Time Score Bedwas 10 Cross Keys 10
The home side took the lead for the first time just 4 minutes in to the second half when some poor tackling out wide by Keys saw Bedwas winger Jordan Rees break through several poor tackle attempts and cross in the corner for the try which was converted by Joseph Scrivens from the touchline.
The next real action didn’t really come until the closing 15 minutes when Keys had a good spell of pressure deep in Bedwas territory. The Keys piled on the pressure and Keys crossed for their second try of the game when centre Dylan Fidler crossed with around 10 minutes to go. Fidler was able to benefit from some patient build up play by Keys with Tom Lampard, Ieuan Jones, Richard Cornock and Rhydian Jenkins all carrying hard toward the Bedwas try line. Eventually the ball was moved out wide and Carwyn Penny delivered a scoring pass out wide to Fidler who did excellently to bounce off a would-be tackler and score in the corner. Penny couldn’t add the extras from the touchline so Keys still trailed with 10 minutes to go.
To their credit Bedwas closed the game out well and with Joseph Scrivens kicking a penalty from the Keys 22 to the left of the posts with 4 minutes to go, the home side stayed in control and took the honours which pulls them away, although certainly not clear of the danger zone which Keys find themselves right in the midst of.
Bedwas Scorers:-
Tries: Luke Crane & Jordan Rees
Conversions: Joseph Scrivens (x2)
Penalties: Joseph Scrivens (x2)
Cross Keys Scorers:-
Tries: Iwan Burgwin & Dylan Fidler
Conversion: Carwyn Penny
Penalty: Carwyn Penny
