Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
Two injury time tries earned Swansea a bonus point draw in a frantic finish against a tough Bridgend outfit at the Brewery Field.
The home side should have taken an early lead after a powerful scrum earned a penalty, but fly half Luke Price dragged his effort at goal well wide of the posts.
Then fly half Josh Phillips kicked out on the full from just inside his own half to gift Bridgend a lineout. Flanker Zac O’Driscoll took the lineout and a neat move saw explosive Wales U19s winger Ben Evans back his pace to slice through the Swansea defence, before centre Joseph Gatt collected a short pass to sprint clear for the game’s opening try. Price converted.
Full back Lewis Edwards took a high ball on half way, but scrum half Harvey Nash failed to deal with box kick from opposite number Matthew Aubrey, although running out of options, Phillips chipped into touch on the Ravens’ 22.
Another Aubrey box kick was fielded by full back Edd Howley who chipped only as far as Phillips, and another exchange of kicks forced Swansea into a goal line drop out. Nash then attempted an ambitious drop goal, but his effort strayed short and wide of the posts.
Lock Chris Thompson tried to disrupt a Bridgend lineout, but the Ravens just about managed to keep possession, although play was brought back after the Whites’ defence strayed offside in midfield. Phillips this time chipped into the corner.
The Ravens looked certain to score from the lineout, but flanker Callum Bowden superbly gained a try saving turnover and booted the ball clear. A fight broke out soon after following a high tackle on Evans, with captains O’Driscoll and Bowden both warned on behalf of their teams.
Price chipped to the corner, but the Whites secured a turnover, and quickly spread play out to the backs through the hands of centres Jack Hoskins and Connor Moyse, and winger Liam Lloyd, but the move broke down just over half way.
A superb crossfield kick by Price was collected by Evans, with centre Fraser Jones using the outside of his boot to find touch on the Swansea 22.
The Ravens extended their lead in spectacular fashion after a super link up between winger McCauley Rowley and prop Harry Olding on the wing saw Price switch play and chip across to the other flank for Evans to use his footballing skills to dribble past a Whites defender to touch down for a try. Price converted.
The home side collapsed a scrum on their own 22 and Phillips turned down the kickable penalty to instead pop the ball into the corner. Lock Ben Roberts took the lineout and the Whites got numbers in the maul with hooker Jamie Cox powering over for a try. Phillips missed the conversion.
Play was then stopped for a short time while Evans received treatment for what looked like a nasty ankle injury, for which he was stretchered off to a warm applause from the crowd.
When play resumed, the visitors were awarded a penalty for an infringement at the scrum by the Ravens’ pack, but an awful Phillips touch finder went dead to gift Bridgend a scrum.
Edwards tried to run back at the Bridgend defence and his side were awarded a penalty after the tackler failed to allow replacement winger Callum Carson back on his feet.
The visitors tried to use their backs to good effect as they raced out of defence, but one too many passes saw them overcomplicate the move and the ball bounced into touch.
Half-time:- Bridgend 14-5 Swansea
The visitors were awarded an early penalty in the second half, from which Phillips found touch inside the Ravens’ 22. Chris Thompson collected the lineout, but Moyse was well tackled and his side were able to clear.
Price picked up a loose ball and fed replacement winger Rhydian Greenhall, but Jones’ attempted chip through hit a Swansea player and the ball bounced into touch soon after.
The Ravens’ pack drove 10 metres with a rolling maul and Howley stretched his legs, but failed to send a pass out to Rowley, although the visitors were penalised for failing to release the man in the tackle.
Price chose to chip into the corner, but obstruction at the lineout gifted the Whites with a relieving penalty, although Phillips failed to find touch. Harry Olding then charged forward and the Ravens remained patient, before the ball was swept out wide for replacement centre Lloyd Wilkins to score in the corner. Price converted.
The visitors were awarded a penalty after the Bridgend defence crept offside at the breakdown. A powerful Swansea maul followed with flanker Alfie Thomas yellow carded and the visitors awarded a penalty try.
Replacement flanker Jacob Hopkins dropped the restart and seconds later his side gave away a penalty after failing to roll away in the tackle. Price kicked the three pointer.
Chris Thompson superbly stole in at a ruck to secure a turnover for the Whites and a well weighted chip ahead by Phillips almost saw the chasing Carson score, but the ball beat him into touch.
A poor lineout gifted the Whites a scrum just short of the line, and they were awarded a free kick, which number eight Iwan Shenton took quickly and powered over for a try. Phillips missed the conversion.
The visitors gave away a penalty om half way for an offence after the try was scored. Jones’ effort fell short of the posts though.
The visitors mauled up to the 22, but the home side gave away a penalty at the break down. Phillips chipped into the corner and Bowden took the ball at the back of the lineout, but Cox’s throw wasn’t straight.
Swansea looked to go quickly at a lineout and spread the ball out wide, with Edwards showing good strength, but replacement centre Joe Thomas lost the ball forward in the tackle.
A superb long kick to touch by Jones gave Bridgend a lineout on the 22. A chip ahead by Jones backfired though, and Edwards was able to clear long, although the visitors gave away a penalty.
Lock Dylan Burrows took a lineout inside the Swansea half to spark a Bridgend attack and a Chris Williams box kick was telegraphed by Edwards, with Phillips able to clear long. Roberts tapped the lineout back, but Bowden gave away a penalty for diving over the top of the ruck.
Bridgend looked to have sealed victory when a clever move involving replacement hooker Corey Lewis and Chris Williams at a short lineout saw Lewis squeeze over for a try at the corner to claim a bonus point for his side. Jones missed the conversion.
With time running out, the home side were penalised for offside in midfield, but Phillips failed to find touch with his kick. Swansea came back at the Ravens and Burrows was yellow carded for preventing a quick penalty.
Phillips then chipped deep into the corner and the visitors went again, but another fight broke out and the visitors were awarded a penalty, which Phillips chipped to the corner.
Roberts collected the lineout and the Whites were awarded a penalty, with Thomas issued a second yellow card. Phillips chipped to the corner and this time replacement hooker Logan Lloyd was driven over for a try. Phillips converted to set up an unlikely grandstand finale.
And what a finale it turned out to be as the visitors found themselves in possession near their own line on the last play.
Sensing gaps in the Bridgend defence with the two man advantage, the Whites backs made good yards up to the Ravens’ 22, before a long pass out wide saw Edwards weave past a few tacklers to score a sensational try and tie up the scores. Unfortunately for the visitors it wasn’t meant to be as Phillips missed his last gasp conversion attempt.
Next up for Bridgend is a trip to Carmarthen in a fortnight, while Swansea travel to Cardiff next Friday.
Full-time:- Bridgend 29-29 Swansea
Bridgend:
Tries:- Joseph Gatt (6), Ben Evans (25), Lloyd Wilkins (49), Corey Lewis (78)
Cons:- Luke Price (7, 26, 50)
Pens:- Luke Price (54)
Yellow cards:- Alfie Thomas (52, 80+5), Alfie Burrows (80+2)
Red cards:- Alfie Thomas (80+5 2Y)
Swansea:
Tries:- Jamie Cox (29), Penalty Try (52), Iwan Shenton (58), Logan Lloyd (80+6), Lewis Edwards (80+11)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (80+7)
Match facts:
Venue:- Brewery Field, Bridgend
Weather:- Partly cloudy, 4C
Referee:- Rhys Jones
Man of the match:- Lewis Edwards
Attendance:- 1,000
Bridgend team:
15 Edd Howley
14 Ben Evans (rep: Rhydian Greenhall 40+3)
13 Joseph Gatt (rep: Lloyd Wilkins 41)
12 Fraser Jones
11 McCauley Rowley
10 Luke Price
9 Harvey Nash (rep: Chris Williams 60)
1 Harry Olding (rep: Alex George 68)
2 Tyler Olding (rep: Corey Lewis 59)
3 Callum Donoghue-Proud (rep: Owen Hatherill 59)
4 James Richards (rep: Evan Hill (80+3)
5 Dylan Burows
6 Alfie Thomas
7 Zac O’Driscoll © (rep: Kyle Harris 33)
8 Thomas Jevons
Replacements:
16 Corey Lewis
17 Alex George
18 Owen Hatherill
19 Evan Hill
20 Kyle Harris
21 Chris Williams
22 Rhydian Greenhall
23 Lloyd Wilkins
Swansea team:
15 Lewis Edwards
14 Liam Lloyd
13 Connor Moyse (rep: Joe Thomas 51)
12 Jack Hoskins
11 Iwan Glynn (rep: Callum Carson (14)
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey (rep: Iwan Temblett 71)
1 Daf Davies (rep: Tom Crockett 55)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Logan Lloyd 68)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Berian Williams 71)
4 Chris Thompson (rep: Cai Arnold 71)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Callum Bowden (cc)
7 Ethan Fackrell (rep: Jacob Hopkins 51)
8 Iwan Shenton
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Tom Crockett
18 Berian Williams
19 Cai Arnold
20 Jacob Hopkins
21 Iwan Temblett
22 Joe Thomas
23 Callum Carson