photo by Ian Lovell

Bridgend Blue Bulls secured their fourth successive Welsh Rugby League Grand Final place with a nail-biting 32-31 win over Blackwood Bulldogs at Porthcawl RFC on Saturday.

The Blue Bulls had to come back from behind against the new boys, and for the third time this season, they only secured the win in the very last play of the game.

Blackwood, in their first ever season of rugby league, have done well to get this far, and were only denied a win by the determination of a more experienced Bridgend side.

The visitors took the lead in the fifth minute after David James crossed in the corner and Jeremy Lloyd converted.

Bridgend equalised in the 20th minute when Lloyd O’Connor kicked through to Simon Mustoe at loose forward who did well to pick up and score. Hutchings converted.

Blackwood were close to taking the lead again and were close to the Bridgend line, but Aaron Warner intercepted a stray pass and ran 70 metres to score under the posts. Hutchings converted again to give Bridgend the lead against the run of play.

Blackwood hit back straight away when loose forward Paul Young weaved his way through a gaping Bridgend defence. Lloyd’s converted levelled things again.

But a brace of tries for second rower, Neil Potter in the last five minutes before half time gave Blackwood a ten-point lead at the interval. Lloyd converted the second of Potter’s tries, then kicked two early second half penalties to put the score on 28-12.

But Bridgend are not the national Conference Premier champions for nothing and they fought back. Marc Bennett ran through four players to ground in corner in the 58th minute and Hutchings scored and converted his own try minutes later to put the Bulls to within six.

Blackwood looked to have secured things when Lloyd got his penalty hat-trick then kicked a field goal with 10 minutes left on the clock to give them a 31-22 lead but Bridgend weren’t finished yet. Mustoe, who had arrived back in Wales after a week’s holiday in Greece just six hours previously, scored his second under posts after a strong run from Tavita Manaseitava. Hutchings converted and then from the very last play of the game, further proved his talent with the boot to kick ahead for Warner to pick up and score in the corner. The conversion was missed but it mattered little as the full time whistle blew straight after to give Bridgend the narrowest of victories again.

Bridgend’s team manager Simon Green said: “That was the most exciting match I’ve ever witnessed. My heart was in my mouth a couple of times and most of my nails have gone. There were a lot of people here today in Porthcawl watching their first game of league and I’m certain they’ll all be back for the final at the Brewery Field next week.”

Bridgend will face Cardiff Demons in next Saturday’s showpiece occasion after their semi-final opponents Aberavon Fighting Irish withdrew from the competition on Friday night. Injury problems had hit the Aberavon side and they were unable to raise a full team.

Demons’ director Simon Davies said: “It's disappointing that it has to be by default, as we would like to have avenged the 45-21 defeat at Port Talbot in the playoff semi-final of 2003, but nevertheless having won the Eastern Division we are in the final by right. We look forward to meeting Bridgend at the Brewery Field next Saturday.”

article by Ian Golden
5 August 2006