Fixture

Betws were on the road for the second time this season hoping to make it three wins from three at a very wet New Dock Stars. The hosts were looking for their first win of the season and luck was in their favour before the game even kicked off, with Betws having to result to passive scrums due to a number front row players being injured or unavailable. This meant that due to new WRU directives, Betws had to start the game with only 14 players.

In horrible conditions, the game started quite conservative from both teams, with Betws getting the first 3 points of the game thanks to a nicely slotted penalty from Betws fly-half, Adrian Thomas (0-3). However, it didn’t take New Dock long to react. With some indiscipline from the Betws pack, they found themselves defending an attacking lineout 5 metres from their own try line. New Dock were strong upfront and powered over for the first try of the game from a nicely worked driving maul, with the New Dock fly-half adding the extras (7-3).

Following the restart, Betws found themselves in New Dock’s half with an attacking scrum. Due to the scrums being passive, skipper and number 8, Gareth Comley decided to try his hand at playing scrum-half, and sniped from the base of the scrum and found himself breaking the New Dock defensive line and one-on-one with the covering full back. Looking almost certain to steam train the poor defender, the ref had other ideas, calling Gareth back for what seemed a very confusing call. Due to the shear genius of the play, the referee thought the number 8 picked from the base of the scrum which isn’t aloud when the scrum is passive. Minutes later, after a reset to the scrum, another penalty by Adrain Thomas brought Betws back to within a point (7-6). 

After a back and forth encounter which saw Betws second rows, Nathan Jefferies and Matthew Anderson putting in a number of huge hits, and some nice link up play by Betws centre and wing, Carwyn Davies and Ashley Evans, again, Betws indiscipline found the forwards having to defend yet another lineout 5 metres from their own line. And like da-ja-vu, the New Dock pack powered over for yet another driving maul, making the score 12-6. 

New Dock then decided to turn up the pace and Betws found themselves yet again defending deep into their own 22. After a gallant attempt to keep the opposition out, a nice cross field kick by New Dock’s fly-half found their winger who touched down in the corner. This, followed by even more indiscipline meant that the game was quickly running away from Betws with the score now 20-6. The extra man seemed to be taking its toll on the Betws boys, however, being made of harder stuff, the boys didn’t shy away from the challenge. 

With the little live wire, Rhydian ‘Bill’ Jones, sitting down New Dock’s 12, Betws started to grow in confidence. With some very nice play, Betws started to go through the phases and really started to pile on the pressure. With only a few minutes to go until half time, the constant bombardment finally paid off when Gareth Comley powered over for Betws’ first try of the game. Adrian Thomas added the extras taking the boys into half time down, but certainly not out (20-13). 

Half Time

Betws came out in the second half looking like a new team, determined to take the game to New Dock. After a few phases of play, Betws worked their way into New Dock’s 22. When a loose pass by Betws was picked up out wide by Nathan Jeffries, a looping Ashley Evans found himself with only the smallest of gaps and two players to beat. Hitting the ball at pace, he went around one… around 2.. and touched down in the corner bringing the game to within 2 points. Adrian Thomas, who had been on fire from the boot all game tried to add the extras from out wide, but only found the wood work (20-18). 

The momentum of the game then swung again, with Betws finding themselves once again deep within their own half defending like beavers. A rush of blood to the head then saw Betws old head, Matthew Madge, flying into a tackle with no arms, which left the referee no option but to send him to the bin for 10 minutes for him to think about his actions. New Dock decided to take the easy points from the boot (23-18). 

Now with only 13 players on the pitch, most would have written off our boys, but not today. Instead of conceding defeat, Betws rallied together. They fought hard for the next 10 minutes, managing to keep the score at 23-18until Matthew Madge was able to return, but still, Betws were a man down. With only 5 minutes to go, and New Dock leading on the scoreboard, the result seemed inevitable. However, Betws managed to make a lovely break and found themselves hammering the New Dock line. New Dock had no option but to try and slow the ball down and hold out for the win.

There was then a massive turning point, when a New Dock forward found himself on the other end of a red card after killing the ball 5 metres out and having a potty mouth which the referee did not tolerate. The game was now 14 vs 14… but surely… there wasn’t enough time… was there? 

Of course there was…

Quick thinking by skipper Gareth Comley caught the defence napping when he took a quick penalty and carried 4 boys on his back as he powered to the line. A great cleanout by the Betws pack gave Anthony ‘Rambo’ O’Neil quick and clean ball. 

This is when time seemed to slow down for a moment, as Rambo’s quick pass found Adrain Thomas, who found Nathan Peters, who threw a miss two out to speedster Ashely Evans who glided into the corner and touched down in the same place he had 35 minutes prior. The Betws supporters erupted into a state of elation. However, the score was now tied at 23-23, and the pressure was on the shoulders of player coach Adrian Thomas who had taken an identical conversion earlier in the game only to hit the posts. Cool as a cucumber, he stepped up and slotted the kick right between the uprights… 23-25 to Betws. 

There was time for the restart but not enough time for New Dock to regain their lead as Betws secured the ball and put it out of play for what was a truly majestic come back. 

Final Score: New Dock Stars 23 – 25 Betws

Betws will now aim to keep their perfect start to the season going next week as they host Lampeter at Heol y Felin.