The Ravens trailed 12-0 and then 19-5 at the break, but a determined second half performance turned the tables and earned Baldwin’s men their first home win of the campaign.

Bridgend started with intent and Ryan Wilkins almost crossed early after he chased his own chip ahead which was gathered over the goal line by Aberavon’s Scott Delnevo first.

Ben Burnell had run of the field in the opening ten, twice putting Bridgend in good field positions with angling cross field kicks into the Wizards 22, Bridgend were unable to take advantage though – and were made to pay just moments later.

Ashton Evans scored first for Aberavon after Bridgend’s scrum folded and Charlie Thomas sent his pack to the corner. The maul did the rest and crossed out wide. Thomas added the conversion.

The slippery conditions made it difficult for both sides but Aberavon adapted better in the early exchanges, with their forwards to the fore, gaining meters and valuable field position.

Bridgend tried to play out from the back and after a strong scrum, Ben Burnell overcooked a cross field kick, which Wizards full back Scott Delnevo graciously gathered ahead of Edd Howley to score out wide. Thomas put the conversion past the post, and Aberavon led by 12.

With the rain lashing down, Ryan Wilkins threw himself at a Charlie Thomas clearance and charged it down. His fellow centre Ryan Conbeer won the race to score and get Bridgend’s first points of the evening. Fraser Jones’ conversion arrowed wide.

Bridgend had to be patient in defence and their eagerness at the break down was rewarded as Zac O’Driscoll turned the ball over and got Bridgend’s first penalty after 29 minutes. However, the attacking maul went nowhere and Aberavon were able to clear.

It was disjointed until the clock went red and after further Bridgend indiscretion at scrum time, Thomas went to the corner and Luke Davies burrowed over for his side’s third try.

Baldwin got to work at changing his sides fortunes by replacing both props at the interval which turned the tide in the forward battle.

The conditions worsened and even forced an error out of Aberavon’s Thomas whose kick to touch went dead from a penalty near the red zone when Aberavon looked set to have another attacking lineout. That relieved the last constrained pressure the visitors enjoyed as Bridgend clawed their way back into the game.

As the half wavered on, Bridgend had chances themselves. After Ryan Wilkins won a penalty on half way, Burnell went to the corner but McKenzie Scales was held up in attack.

A further attack was thwarted moments later as Edd Howley broke the line, only to knock the ball on in the 22. The loose ball fell to Rhys Thomas who fed Frankie Jones. The wing hacked on and Aberavon cleared their lines.

Pressure was always going to tell and after Bridgend won a lineout from a series of successive penalties, Callum Donoghue-Proud burrowed his way over for a try converted by Burnell.

From kick off, Bridgend went in search of more but after busting two tackles, Benji Williams lost the ball forward and the Ravens were penalised for offside. Thomas duly put his side into the 22. The maul came to nothing and after Bridgend turned the ball over, Ryan Wilkins stormed upfield. His pass went to Morgan Boobyer and the Wizards’ Felix Gilbert was yellow carded for halting the Ravens’ attack in midfield.

The Ravens piled the pressure on and after Conbeer slid a neat kick through, Edd Howley won the race after Frankie Jones faltered, to score out wide. Burnell, taking over kicking duties, saw his conversion go wide.

That wasn’t it as Bridgend continued to search for a winner, which duly arrived when a lovely backs move saw Cameron Ellis squeeze over in the corner. Burnell’s superb conversion made it a five point game with time to play.

By this point, the Wizards had run out of ideas and Bridgend halted any chance of a late away win with solid defence. The game ended with Burnell clearing Bridgend’s lines following a solid scrum, sending the home faithful wild and moving them up to fourth in the Super Rygbi Cymru standings.