photo by Simon Green

Bridgend Blue Bulls hooker Craig Fox said goodbye in style last Saturday scoring 20 points in his final game before jetting off to play Rugby Union in Florida for Orlando RFC in the Bulls 60-28 win over Swansea Valley Miners, a game which also saw prop Matthew Wareham claim a hat-trick.

For the second week running the Bulls played at Porthcawl RFC and wing Owen Strong opened the scoring with a try in the fourth minute and was soon followed over the line by Marc Bennett and Wareham before Bulls debutante Nathan Walters raced the length of the field for a fine solo score. Bennett added two goal kicks for a 20-0 lead before Chris Roets hit back for the Miners.

But any chance of a Miners fightback vanished as Dan Williams, Craig Fox and Gareth Bartlett ran in tries with Fox converting all three to give the Bulls a 32-6 half time lead.

Matthew Wareham claimed his second try early in the second half after excellent work from Griff Davies before the Miners held a mini comeback with tries for Daniel Hawkins (2), Wayne McFenton and a second for Chris Roets.

But Bridgend finished in style with Fox Gareth Bartlett scoring their second tries before Wareham claimed his hat-trick.

The Swansea Valley Miners were led by

former Bridgend Ravens scrum half Andrew Jenkins and his team showed  great spirit and pride, but Jenkins young team were no match for the Bulls pace and power and they found it difficult to deal with the physical presence of the likes of Wareham, Bartlett, Mustoe and Purnell.

But Bridgend will not be underestimating the Miners who they face again at Ystalafera next Saturday with Bulls captain Jon Purnell stating "they will be much tougher at home and will have all their big guns out so we will have to be at our very best to win up there"

Bridgend do though have worries at hooker with Lloyd Paget out with a knee injury, Lloyd O’Connor off on tour with the GB Students and Craig Fox moving to the USA and they are looking to fill this role before their next game. The Bulls are also resigned to losing Neil Dixon for the rest of the summer after he shone at fullback for the Celtic Crusaders last Sunday claiming two tries in a Man of the Match performance.

BLUE BULLS SCORERS:
TRIES:
Owen Strong
Marc Bennett
Matthew Wareham (3)
Nathan Walters
Dan Williams
Gareth Bartlett (2)
Craig Fox (2)
GOALS:
Marc Bennett (2)
Craig Fox (6)

VALLEY MINERS SCORERS:
TRIES
Daniel Hawkins (2)
Chris Roets (2)
Wayne McFenton

GOALS:
Dane Clancy (4)

article by Simon Green
25 June 2006