04 Apr SWANSEA 33-34 BRIDGEND

Bridgend Ravens picked up an important bonus point victory at Broadacre on Saturday afternoon against Swansea. 

The Ospreys sides played out a see-saw match which was in the balance until the last play, with Bridgend’s 13 man defence holding firm to see out the game.

The game earlier this season had ended in a draw and once again there was very little between them. Swansea struck first thanks to wing Iwan Glynn, a try converted by Josh Phillips after just three minutes.

Bridgend battled back and levelled affairs just four minutes later. Some dazzling back play was finished by Supporters’ Man of the Match, Lloyd Wilkins. A try he converted himself.

Just before the midway point of the first half, Bridgend led. The driving maul, a powerful weapon all afternoon, surged to the line and Corey Lewis scored. Wilkins added the conversion with some wind assistance.

Swansea would go into the break ahead though – Mat Protheroe reducing the deficit first with a neat finish.

The Whites went into the interval ahead. Play was halted when Gethin O’Callaghan was injured near the posts, and from the resulting scrum, Swansea were awarded a penalty try.

HT Swansea 19-14 Bridgend

The Ravens made further changes at the break – Ryan Wilkins and Harry Olding were replaced by Luke Price and Alex George. Those changes sparked Bridgend back into life, and Edd Howley bagged a trademark individual score within just four minutes of the restart to level the game.

With tails up, Bridgend were at their counter attacking best and Swansea’s Jacob Hopkins was yellow carded for cynically halting a flowing move. From the resulting penalty, Bridgend went to the corner and Corey Lewis scored his twelfth try of the season, with the conversion going wide.

Three minutes later, the scoreline swung again. Swansea’s powerful driving maul saw Jamie Cox score, a try improved by Phillips.

That stirred a Bridgend response, with Swansea being reduced to 13 men due to repeat infringements. That card meant there was plenty of room for the visitors to swing the ball out wide for Lloyd Wilkins to dot down again.

Back came Swansea, with a sweeping move of their own for replacement James Price to score, a try once again converted by the impressive Phillips.

With ten to go, there was one more decisive twist in the tie. Bridgend were patient in attack and were able to work an overlap for wing Cameron Ellis to score. With kicking proving difficult, the try went unconverted leaving Bridgend with the most slender of leads in the final moments.

Things got even more difficult for Scott Baldwin’s side. Edd Howley was yellow carded for what was deemed an illegal challenge in the air against Swansea’s Liam Lloyd, and Fraser Jones joined him in the bin two minutes later. This invited wave after wave of Swansea pressure, but Bridgend’s defiant defence held out for victory.

The Ravens wrap up the regular season next Saturday with a trip to North Wales to face RGC (2:30pm).