News

Late Bonus Point Win..

After  their free weekend last week West travelled to Crickhowell for their 3^rd league game of the season looking to build on their opening two wins. Promoted 3 East D champions Crickhowell were also looking to maintain their home form (having previously put 69pts on Beaufort) so a cracker seemed like it could be on the cards.

But as is often the case with high expectations, it didn't materialise as both sides started very cagey, with West trying to impose their game plan and Crickhowell trying to keep it loose and unstructured. It wasn't  until 15 minutes in that West upped the tempo, put some phases together and scored their 1^st try, with winger Jon Wells celebrating his return to the club by touching down in the corner, converted by Robbie Baldock from the touchline.

This seemed to wake West up and they kept the pressure on and tempo going and were rewarded with a 2^nd try when tighthead prop Jonny Coleman decided to keep his rich try scoring form going by picking up from the base of a ruck 5 yards out and crashing over with three would be tacklers going with him.

For those that thought the flood gates were about to open, unfortunately they were shut tight as the rest of the half turned very scrappy with a few strong runs from 2^nd row Gareth Moorcraft, centre Mark Leighton and plenty of tackles from Daniel Dukey the highlight.  With Crickhowell slotting over 2 penalties the referee blew for half time with the score 12-6 to the visitors.

The 2^nd half started as the 1^st had finished, scrappy with both sides making plenty of errors before Crickhowell broke down the wing and with 2 good off loads crossed for a try and conversion of their own, West replied by bringing on some bench impact with Scotty Leonard, Duane ’Dad’ Gardner and Alex Maddocks certainly adding that and with a Robbie Baldock touchline penalty West were in front again.

This was short lived as almost immediately Crickhowell re-took the lead with another penalty of their own.

The game continued to be a stop / start scrappy match with both sides looking for the breakthrough and it was West who found it when first Luke Royal put in a huge try saving tackle, then some lovely hands by the backs allowed fullback Morgan Parry to come into the line, outpace the defence to score a try.

Crickhowell now started to try and throw everything at West but got no change from the defence with some big hits starting to come in and the structured gameplan and fitness starting to tell.  West turned the ball over and with some lovely interplay between forwards and backs the ball came out to Luke Royal who offloaded in the tackle to Mark Leighton who burst through two would be tacklers and outpaced the wing to score the all important bonus point try, converted by Robbie Baldock (to take his points tally past 50 for the season).

Although not a game for the purist, the visitors were delighted with this victory and the 5 points, which is believed to be their first ever win at Crickhowell.

C'mon West/Dewch ymlaen West