Caerphilly v Bridgend

played at Virginia Park on Saturday 9th Match, Welsh-Scottish League

An important Welsh/Scottish league clash for Caerphilly and Bridgend last week-end with both teams targeting the game for 3 important points. Caerphilly desperately needing the points to put any kind of pressure on Ebbw Vale and struggling Bridgend, only two places above Caerphilly, looking for their sixth win of the season under new coach, Allan Lewis.

With Bridgend playing into the wind, an early exchange of penalties by Caerphilly's Luke Richards and his opposite number, Craig Warlow left the Ravens trailing by 6 points to 3.
Bridgend struck on the 28th minute with a try for Wales and British lions star, Dafydd James.

Bridgend captain, Gareth Thomas set up the move for Craig Warlow and Gareth Williams to make space for Dafydd James to score with a Warlow conversion. The Brewery boys increased their lead with a Craig Warlow penalty and drop-goal before Gareth Thomas and Nathan Budget supplied speedy Tongan winger, Aisea Havili to score with a Warlow conversion.

Caerphilly reduced the Bridgend lead when a wheeled scrum allowed Caerphilly scrum-half, Andrew Jacobs feed Ben Watkins a 15 metre run to the Bridgend try-line to close the gap to 23 - 11 at the interval. Caerphilly carried on where they left off with an early second half try from centre, Geraint Evans who picked up a loose pass from Havili to Shawn van Rensburg for the easiest of tries with Richards conversion.

A much stronger and spirited Castletown side came out battling, putting pressure on the visitors for long periods after a stiff halftime talking to from coach, Terry Holmes. Caerphilly were unlucky not to produce points from this sustained second half pressure.

Craig Warlow kicked 2 more penalties to Luke Richards 1 before Havili raced over at the corner, 2 minutes into injury time for his second try of the day.

Match report by Phil Whitfield, pictures by Mark Tamplin & John Harris