Bridgend 16 Cardiff 43

A Dewi Cross hat-trick helped Cardiff go back to the top of the Indigo Premiership.

Within three minute the Blue & Blacks had their first score. A midfield penalty was pushed into the Ravens twenty-two. When the maul was stopped the ball was moved along the backline and space created for Dewi Cross to score. The home side were on the board shortly after as Luke Price landed a penalty. He put the Ravens ahead with his second a few minutes later and his hat-trick was completed just on the twenty-minute mark.

Cardiff were back in front five minutes later. Another penalty was kicked into the twenty-two and the result, again, was a try. The maul was collapsed, the ball was worked wide and Cross scored. The Cardiff lead was extended just before halftime. An attacking scrum for the Ravens near the Cardiff line was stolen and the ball moved from inside the twenty-two. Arron Pinches and Joe Goodchild made metres before the move seemed to breakdown. Dan Fish though spotted Cross in space and fired a cross field kick. Cross got to the ball and although he was hauled down, Rhys Barrett though was on hand to pick up and crash over in the corner.

Cardiff started the second with a bang. A stolen lineout went into midfield where Alun Rees made a break. He found Cross in support and he was able to draw the fullback and put Ethan Lloyd over from 25 metres out, Dan Fish converted the bonus point try. The fifth try came seven minutes into the half. A fifty twenty-two gave Cardiff field position and when the ball went wide Cross was able to beat the defence and score his third.

The Ravens pulled one back through Jordan Collier before Evan Lloyd added Cardiff’s sixth from close range. Fish was on target with the extras. The game was rounded off with a seventh as Evan Lloyd scored his second following a close range line out, Harrison James added the extras for a well deserved win.

Viv Jones

TEAM P W D L PF PA PTS
Llandovery 20 19 0 1 684 307 90
Newport 21 18 0 3 701 390 90
Ebbw Vale 20 14 0 6 615 384 71
Cardiff 21 12 1 8 579 492 63
Pontypridd 21 10 1 10 470 501 53
Pontypool 19 11 0 8 480 455 51
Merthyr 18 10 0 8 458 470 49
Aberavon 20 8 0 12 462 556 46
Bridgend Ravens 20 8 0 12 423 539 41
Swansea 19 5 0 14 377 540 30
RGC 1404 18 5 0 13 354 489 28
Carmarthen Quins 19 4 0 15 416 541 28
Neath 20 3 0 17 330 685 19