Beaten at Bridgend

Bridgend 14 RGC 10

Saturday 18th November 2023

Even after being delayed due to bus issues, RGC looked to gain an early foothold on the game against a team that have had the upper hand win wise at Dunravan Brewery Field.

Defences were ontop in the opening 20 minutes , with RGC we're going through the phases but not making in-roads territory-wise.

The opening chance came to Harri Hughes who broke down the wing but knocked on in the tackle, and was the only real opportunity RGC created in the half,

As the rain came down RGC tested with the boot with a couple of kicks causing problems, but the accuracy or the chase was off at times. allowing the homeside to deal with it.in the game, 

After 25 minutes the scoreboard hadn't moved as the Gogs didn't turn possession into points, which was a frustrating one for players and coaching staff.

When Bridgend finally got back into the  RGC half they got a penalty and Paul Short gave his side the lead.

The Gogs continued the kicking option but again didn’t get much from it, and Bridgend coped with it.

2nd half started with another Paul Short penalty to extend the home sides lead.

Both sides swapped kicks as Bridgend were the happier to see the game played in RGCs half with the 6-point lead in place.

Much like the 1st half RGC couldn't find a way to get through the Bridgend line, or finding the space to create anything, which led to them forcing a pace or kicking when the options ran out.

RGC did get points on the board when Sam Earl Jones smashed a kick over from halfway with a huge penalty.

The Ravens scrum started to fire and they won a couple of crucial shoves at key times, when RGC had good field positions and the Gogs found themselves back in their own half.

The boot of Short got his sided 3rd penalty and the lead was back to 6 points. That lead increased when a Sam Earl-Jones offload went to ground and Cameron Ellis picked up to score a simple try, and more importantly a crucial one in the end.

RGC finally got into Bridgends 22 in the last play of the game, when Earl-Jones broke and went close, before Ollie Wynn darted in for try and Earl-Jones converted on the final whistle,