Bedlinog 2nd XV 11 - Brecon 2nd XV 0

Brecon 2nd XV travelled to Bedlinog amidst some anxiety. The team was very much a makeshift XV following a number of last minute withdrawals. In addition they faced a strong Bedlinog side which comfortably triumphed, only two weeks previously, against what was on paper a much stronger Brecon XV. The anxiety before the game was misplaced as a very young and inexperienced team gave a wholehearted performance which pushed Bedlinog to the limit.

With a wind advantage in the first half Brecon dominated the game. Their driving maul was very impressive and completely disrupted a much bigger and more organised side. The camped in the home half for almost the whole of the half and for much of the time the action took place in the home 22. Sadly no matter how hard they tried they could not score. They crossed the line twice only to be held up and struck the posts with a penalty.

The reason for the success was simple. Rob Darrock led the side brilliantly from number 8. He did so in spite of a team with players playing out of position and hardly ever having played together. His players responded well to his whole hearted effort and there a number of great performances.

Dai Price, a promising young hooker, was forced to play out of position on the wing and looked the part catching and counterattacking with great enthusiasm. Martyn Jones, in the hooker position, showed why he is highly thought of in the club with a great all round display. Alongside him in the front row Phil Davies and Dan Kiwi carried the ball with great power and were constant thorns in the Bedlinog pack’s side. Wyn Davies in the second row was also an impressive youngster while his more senior partner Gwynfor Phillips was a revelation in the first half only to fade slightly as lack of match practice began to take its toll as the game wore on.

In the unaccustomed position of scrum half, Will Jenkins showed good skills and great promise for when he can be restored to a more familiar role. The same can be said for makeshift outside half Huw Davies. Alongside him, at centre, Simon Jones rolled away the last two years of inaction and was such a threat that the opposition singled him out for some “special treatment.”

In the second half the home side’s greater organisation finally took its toll. Brecon gave away two penalties and leaked a single try but that would have been matched were it not for a dropped scoring pass. The final result should not detract from what was a truly gritty performance which defied all the odds.