Cardiff RFC boosted their Super Rygbi Cymru home advantage play-off hopes with a dominant victory over Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
Having started the afternoon in second place, the Blue and Blacks ran in seven tries to secure two bonus points and position themselves back in pole position after a win over The Wizards.
Tries from Joe Williams, Nathan Hudd was accompanied by braces from Matty Young and Joe Goodchild and an early penalty try guided the Blue and Blacks to a 44-22 win.
Despite being three weeks since Cardiff’s last outing in the SRC, it didn’t take Dan Fish’s men long to make an immediate impact. After a kick in behind from Matty Young it put the hosts under pressure instantly as James Clegg was forced to take the ball over the line.
Then after a dominant scrum referee, Lucas Yendle awarded the visitors a penalty try after three minutes.
The Wizards moments later opened up their afternoon as outside half, Ed Dunford slotted three points from the tee. However, the Blue and Blacks lead grew even more as Matty Young crossed. This came from a break from Elijah Evans who put the visitors on the front foot, then a pass back inside from Joe Goodchild allowed fullback Young to score his fourth try of the season.
Goodchild was of great use once again in the build up to the Blue and Blacks third as he offloaded to scrum-half, Joe Williams to score. Harri Wilde added the extras as Cardiff went into an early 16 point lead.
Minutes later, on his first game back since the U20s Six Nations, Steffan Emanuel put a brilliantly timed kick in behind which saw his centre counterpart Elijah Evans gather. The hosts then regained possession and kicked to relieve pressure, but outside-half Wilde gathered and spread the ball out wide for Matty Young who quickly offloaded to Joe Goodchild who crossed the whitewash.
Prior to the half an hour mark, Nathan Hudd crossed over after a dominant catch and drive as the openside scored his third of the season. Despite a very much one sided opening 40 minutes, the visitors were a man down after try scorer, Goodchild was sent off for ten minutes.
HT: Aberavon 3-31 Cardiff
The second half began exactly how the first half started, with an early score for the visitors. This time around, Matty Young crossed over after stepping back inside. The hosts then responded accordingly as Ashton Evans crossed over for The Wizards opening try of the afternoon. Outside half, Dunford quickly added the extras which reduced the deficit to 26 points.
This was then followed for the second time in the encounter with the Blue and Blacks being reduced to 14-men. Steffan Emanuel was shown a yellow card after a deliberate knock-on. Then with the one man advantage, Felix Gilbert crossed over for his sides second of the afternoon.
Then after returning back to 15, the Blue and Blacks quickly scored their seventh of the afternoon. Joe Goodchild crossed over for his second and this came from a brilliant cross field kick by Harri Wilde. One of the main themes of a much more competitive 40 minutes was the strength of the Blue and Blacks defence in their own 22.
The hosts throughout the final quarter were looking for ways through but were unable to capitalise on them. However, with minutes left on the clock and after a few penalties inside the Blue and Blacks 22 replacement, Saul Hurley scored for the hosts despite more heroic defending being on show from the Blue and Blacks.
The late cross by The Wizards proved insufficient, as it was Harri Wilde who scored the final points of the encounter as he added three points from the tee to conclude proceedings at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
FT: Aberavon 22-44 Cardiff