Played: 33
Won: 18
Lost: 15
Drawn: 0
Points For: 898
Points Against: 668
League Finish: 7th
The 2013 – 14 season was a season of ups and downs. A new pitch, changes in the coaching, no league or cup fixtures in January, a good league start followed by a string of defeats that eventually saw the Blue & Blacks finish 7th.
The season started with a sevens competition on the carpet at the Arms Park in the sunshine was followed by a trip West to Fishguard. The locals provided everything, except the weather as a large friendly and appreciative crowd turned up by the sea in the pouring rain to watch the visitors run in nine tries. The following week a trip to Esher proved too much for the team as again the weather played a part as sweeping rain blew into the away side’s faces as they went down 24-10
The final friendly saw Bargoed visit the Arms Park. This time the Blue & Blacks got it right as five tries from the backs saw off a spirited challenge from the visitors. The new format of the British & Irish cup meant the Cardiff had to travel to Sardis Rd to qualify for the group stages to and the right to represent the Blues Region. After a fantastic start the visitors were 13-0 up, Paulo Uhi and Cieron Thomas getting the points. Pontypridd though roared back and it was only in the closing minutes that they eventually got a grip on the game to close it out 22-19.
The first Premiership game was moved to a Sunday for television. Again awful weather greeting the team at Church Bank. Some bizarre decisions on the day cost Cardiff as a penalty try for the first offence was awarded to the home side and two players carded for what seemed to be minor offences when the home side were allowed to get away with a lot worse. Cardiff ending up with a loosing bonus point when they deserved a lot more.
The first of three away wins was to follow at Bridge filed when Cardiff took Bedwas apart. Luke Ford and James Loxton scoring to add to Ceiron Thomas’ 14 points. A long wait for a win at Talbot Athletic Ground in the Premiership was ended the following week as Dan Fish scored a hat-trick in a bonus point 29-17 win. A week later and a few miles up the road Cardiff recorded the third victory in a row over Neath, Fish again on the scoreboard. But it was Jack Maynard who won the day as he slotted two penalties, two conversions and a drop goal to give the Blue & Blacks a two point win.
Those away wins were followed by three home games. The old enemy – Newport – were taken destroyed by Fish and Tom Williams as Cardiff scored five tries in a bonus point 32-17 win. Swansea, who were eventually relegated conceded six tries the following week before the winning run was halted by Carmarthen as they won 22-7 at the Arms Park. A friendly against Heol-Y-Cyw to fill a B&I gap weekend was duly won and Aberavon were defeated at the Arms Park the following week, but only just. Jack Phillips try the only one in a scrappy game.
The Cross Keys defeat the following Friday was marred at the end of the game by a fight that saw Callum Lewis badly injured to the extent that he didn’t play for the rest of the year. Llanelli ran riot in the next game as they scored 43 points in an entertaining game that saw Cardiff rack up 24 of their own. The following Saturday and the Rodney Parade Premiership voodoo was laid to rest, Ethan Lewis, Will Thomas and Luke Hamilton on the score sheet.
The Christmas period was non-productive on the points front as defeats away at Carmarthen and Pontypridd saw Cardiff sit in 6th as they had been at the start of the month. January was a non-competitive month as far as fixtures. The B&I cup took up most weekends and the SWALEC cup draw gave Cardiff a bye so a series of friendlies were arranged. Cardiff lost to Bridgend Ath. Before defeating Cardiff Meds. Glamorgan Wanderers, St Peters and Llandaff to keep the squad fit a ready for the next round of Premiership games.
The next game was a defeat at the Brewery field were Cardiff played as if they had just met. The Ravens were fighting to stay out of the Premiership relegation battle and were by far the better side. In the cup Cardiff had a home draw against Newbridge and saw off the Gwent side with three forward orientated tries, Miles Normandale and Sam Feehan (2) the scorers. That was though to be Martyn Fowler’s last game in charge as he and Mark Ring left the coaching set up. Simon King being appointed as his replacement.
Against Neath in Simon’s first game another bizarre refereeing decision cost the home side. Having dominated the scrum all game the final minute saw Cardiff gain the put in five metres out. Trailing by four points a try would have seen them home, and as it turned out Neath relegated. But for some reason the referee decided that after 5 penalties at the scrum and two yellow cards for the two Neath props a penalty try was not to be given and Neath held on.
The following week at St Helens Cardiff conceded a penalty try this time at the first ask. Consistency is all that we ask of our officials. Cardiff went on to win the game but not before fantastic defence has seen of the Whites for 10 minutes at the end as the the Blue & Blacks held on to a four point advantage.
The Ravens were made to pay for the early defeat at the Arms Park before a double header with the Keys. The first a defeat at Pandy Park in the league before a cup exit the following week at the Arms Park left Cardiff with only pride to play for. Llandovery, Llanelli and Pontypridd all came to the Arms Aprk in the following weeks and inflicted heavy defeats on the Blue & Black. Pride though was restored in the final game with nothing resting on it both sides threw the ball about as the home side defeated Bedwas 46-23 crowd favourite Shaun Powell grabbing a brace.
Eight Club caps will be awarded at the Club Dinner in July, these go to Sam Feehan, James Loxton, Mike Stephens, Jack Maynard, Luke Hamilton, Nick White, Ryan Harford and Miles Normandale
TOTAL
START
REP
28
SMOUT
LEWIS
21
7
26
FOWLER
AARON
16
10
24
LOXTON
JAMES
21
3
23
MAYNARD
JACK
10
13
22
MURPHY
JAMES
20
2
22
HARFORD
RYAN
18
4
22
WHITE
NICK
10
12
21
SLATER
TOM
19
2
21
STEPHENS
MIKE
17
4
20
FEEHAN
SAM
10
10
19
EDWARDS
JOHNATHAN
17
2
18
LEWIS
ETHAN
9
9
18
LUCAS
GARYN
7
11
17
NORMANDALE
MILES
16
1
16
PASCOE
TOM
15
1
16
POWELL
SHAUN
13
3
16
THOMAS
CEIRON
13
3
15
HAMILTON
LUKE
13
2
14
FORD
LUKE
12
2
12
GRIFFIN
JOE
11
1
12
ROACH
BEN
7
5
12
JAMES
RHYS
3
9
11
LEE
ALWYN
8
3
10
RYAN
DARREN
5
5
10
ELLIOT
LLOYD
4
6
10
CRUMP
LEON
3
7
9
JENKINS
ELLIS
7
2
9
PARTRIDGE
DAN
3
6
9
REES
ALUN
3
6
8
SHEEKEY
JAMES
5
3
7
DAVIES
THOMAS
4
3
7
LEWIS
CALLUM
3
4
7
RINGER
JAMIE
3
4
6
FISH
DAN
6
6
GUNTER
DEAN
6
6
PHILLIPS
JACK
6
6
WILLIAMS
TOM
6
6
LODGE
CRAIG
5
1
6
UHI
SAIPOLU
5
1
6
THOMAS
WILL
4
2
5
SMITH
RICHARD
5
5
WATTS-JONES
RORY
5
5
LEE
GEORGE
2
3
4
DOWN
JAMES
4
4
REES-HOLE
WILLIAM
4
4
SMYTH
OLLIE
2
2
3
PHILLIPS
IWAN
3
3
MARLEY
MATTHEW
2
1
3
BAIRD
WILL
1
2
3
WALKER
ALEX
1
2
3
WHITTINGHAM
JAMES
3
2
COOK
MACAULEY
2
2
LEE
RYAN
2
2
CHATWIN
BRETT
2
2
ELLIOT
AARON
2
2
JONES
STEFFAN
2
1
ALLEN
CORY
1
1
CRACKNELL
OLLIE
1
1
HEWITT
DAFYDD
1
1
BOURRUST
BENOIT
1
1
JONES
JOE
1
1
LEWIS
ROB
1
1
O’FLAHERTY
TOM
1
1
PHILLIPS
BRYN
1
1
REES
ALED
1
1
WALTERS
GARETH
1