By: Paul Hopkins
The All Whites’ search for a first league win continued as they fell to a 24-27 defeat to Bridgend in a scrappy bad tempered match at St Helen’s.
In the opening exchanges full back Harri Houston was taken out in the air but the ball was fed to prop Cameron Jones who raced down the wing, but his pass was too strong for winger Brandon Wood who lost possession forward into touch.
Flanker Morgan Morse dropped the ball on half way with winger Jake Thomas making a break down the wing, but fly half Ben Burnell spilled the ball forward to gift possession back to the All Whites. Houston then popped up out of nowhere to sprint through the middle, but he was tackled on the 22, with the Ravens able to clear.
Bridgend continued to attack with Burnell powering over the 22 but a poor clearance kick by Morse was collected by Thomas and the visitors used their backs well to send Burnell over for a try. He missed the conversion though.
A huge scrum by the home side forced the Bridgend front row upwards and fly half Josh Phillips chose to kick deep into the corner. A superb lineout take by number eight Cai Davies saw the Whites control a rolling maul, with hooker Owen Thomas popping up for the try. Phillips converted.
The home side fumbled the restart to give Bridgend an attacking scrum just shy of the 22. A free kick followed and centre Tom Florence took the contact, before hooker Curtis Greenslade spilled the ball forward to end the move.
Burnell made a break and offloaded to full back Edd Howley and Morse was penalised for diving over the top of a ruck. Burnell kicked the penalty goal from in front of the posts.
Florence dropped a pass in midfield, but play was brought back for an earlier penalty, which scrum half Harvey Nash took quickly, although the move broke down moments later. The visitors were handed another penalty after the home side were guilty of back chat and Burnell chipped to the corner.
Following a patient build up by the pack, Howley looked to have scored out wide, but Burnell’s pass was adjudged to have been forward, handing the Whites a let off.
Davies superbly broke clear from a retreating scrum to find Wood, but despite tip toeing, the winger stepped into touch. It therefore gave Bridgend another attacking opportunity and Florence attempted to go on his own, but was tackled around eight metres short of the line, although the visitors were awarded a penalty, which Burnell kicked from in front of the posts.
Thomas ran back at Swansea from the restart, and flanker Geraint Powell looked to have intercepted a pass, but play was brought back for an earlier offside offence. Burnell chose to kick at goal again and successfully to extended his side’s lead to seven points.
A dangerous tackle on Houston gave the home side a penalty, which Phillips chipped up to the 22. The move broke down though when prop Ellis Fackrell dropped possession under pressure.
A quick pass to lock Barnaby Waddell almost saw the Ravens break away, but excellent defence by the home side stopped the move.
A superb break by Phillips was supported by Morse, but winger Callum Dodd was well tackled and the Ravens were able to counterattack, although scrum half Iwan Temblett did well to clear long and bring a calm to proceedings.
The visitors were penalised for offside and Phillips succeeded with his relatively simple attempt at goal to reduce the deficit to four points.
Half-time:- Swansea 10-14 Bridgend
A high kick by Burnell was fielded by Houston who found replacement scrum half Matthew Aubrey in support, but he lost possession at the ruck. Powell charged down a Nash kick, with Fackrell providing support to tidy up play. The home side were awarded a penalty and this time Phillips chipped into the corner.
The home side battered the Ravens’ line, but over complicated things and prop Marley Lovell lost the ball forward with Howley clearing long.
Centre Joe Thomas made a break and offloaded to Owen Thomas but Davies was unable to get his pass away so Bridgend were able to counterattack. Prop Harry Olding found himself in space as he raced up to the 22, but the visitors were penalised for diving over the top.
The match threatened to boil over again with plenty of off the ball tackles but Houston stretched his legs and threw a long pass out wide to Wood, but he was tackled a few metres short of the line. Owen Thomas made a break and was tackled, but no scrum half at the ruck meant Bridgend were able to pick up and clear.
A poor pass from a ruck by Aubrey put the Whites under pressure, with Phillips somehow getting back to defend and prevent a certain score for replacement scrum half Chris Williams.
The Ravens were awarded a penalty on the 22 after the home side crept offside at the ruck, and Burnell chose to kick the three pointer.
Replacement flanker Travis Huntley rose high to collect the restart, but the home side were soon back In possession with Morse charging forward. Houston then got the ball out to Wood who sprinted forward, and chipped through for Aubrey to score a neat try. Phillips converted.
Phillips superbly collected an attempted Burnell chip and chase but Joe Thomas promptly passed the ball back to a Ravens player. The home side were penalised for failing to roll away at the tackle and Burnell kicked his side back ahead.
The home side were awarded a penalty of their own after it was the Ravens’ turn to be caught offside. Phillips turned down the kickable penalty, instead opting to throw the dice and chip into the corner, but the Ravens superbly stole the ball at the maul.
Replacement lock Chris Thompson rose to collect a lineout and Joe Thomas changed the direction of his run, but was brought down by the Bridgend defence. Then Phillips made a clever step inside and found replacement centre Lewis Edwards, who raced in to score. Phillips converted.
The Ravens hit back through a breakaway with Thomas racing down the wing to send Williams over for what turned out to be the decisive try in the corner. Burnell converted.
Edwards took a quick lineout on half way as the home side went in search of a winning score, and deep inside injury time the visitors were penalised for offside. Houston chose to kick into the corner, turning down a kickable shot at goal.
Chris Thompson took the lineout and the home side inched towards the line, going through the phases, but a high tackle on Houston saw the Whites awarded another late penalty, which Houston again kicked to the corner.
Greaves took the lineout this time and Owen Thomas was driven backwards and lost possession, with the final whistle sounding, to send the Bridgend supporters into raptures.
Full-time:- Swansea 24-27 Bridgend
Swansea:
Tries:- Owen Thomas (11), Matthew Aubrey (68), Lewis Edwards (76)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (12, 69, 77)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (40+3)
Bridgend:
Tries:- Ben Burnell (7), Chris Williams (80)
Cons:- Ben Burnell (80+1)
Pens:- Ben Burnell (16, 27, 29, 64, 71)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Sunny, 13C
Referee:- Rhys Jones
Man of the match:- Ben Burnell
Attendance:- 600
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Callum Dodd
13 Joe Thomas
12 Harrison Doe (rep: Lewis Edwards 54)
11 Brandon Wood
10 Josh Phillips
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Matthew Aubrey 40+4)
1 Cameron Jones (rep: Ed Thompson 63)
2 Owen Thomas ©
3 Ellis Fackrell (rep: Kian Hire 63)
4 Sam Pailor (rep: Chris Thompson 54)
5 Joe Greaves
6 Geraint Powell
7 Morgan Morse
8 Cai Davies (rep: Dan Gemine 63)
Replacements:
16 Wills Austin
17 Ed Thompson
18 Kian Hire
19 Chris Thompson
20 Dan Gemine
21 Matthew Aubrey
22 Harri Williams
23 Lewis Edwards
Bridgend team:
15 Edd Howley
14 McCauley Rowley
13 Ryan Wilkins
12 Tom Florence
11 Jake Thomas
10 Ben Burnell
9 Harvey Nash (rep: Chris Williams 49)
1 Harry Olding (rep: Liam Tobias 80)
2 Curtis Greenslade (rep: Evan Yardley 45)
3 Marley Lovell (rep: Alex George 45)
4 Barnaby Waddell (rep: Travis Huntley 61)
5 Evan Hill (rep: Dylan Burrows 54)
6 Alfie Llewellyn (rep: Kyle Harris 54)
7 Zac O’Driscoll ©
8 Thomas Jevons
Replacements:
16 Evan Yardley
17 Alex George
18 Liam Tobias
19 Dylan Burrows
20 Travis Huntley
21 Kyle Harris
22 Chris Williams
23 Tom Morgan