After 3 weeks with no games over the Christmas break the boys were raring to go in the biggest game of their season to date. Briton Ferry brought a big physical pack and we knew they would be a handful up front having won a hard fought game earlier in the season. Conditions were very good, dry and bright but with a bit of a cross breeze. The game started off well and we looked dangerous on the attack. After just 4 minutes we were awarded a penalty which outside half Alex Hughes kicked to put us into an early 3-0 lead. Straight from the kick off we counter attacked well, and some great running by Joe Richards saw him cross for the first try after just 6 mins. The difficult conversion was missed. 8-0. Briton Ferry started to get more invloved in the game and their forwards kept the ball tight, however it was two of our front five who were invlolved in our next try. On 11 minutes a nice move saw second row Zak Lodwig with the ball close to the line and with a lovely pop pass to prop Cameron Jones, crossed over for an easy try. Unfortunealy Alex hit the post with the conversion, 13-0. The visitors looked a bit shell shocked by the start and turned up their efforts which was eventually rewarded when they crossed for their first try on 23 minutes, the conversion was missed, 13-5. The game was now becoming more evenly matched and we needed another score before half time to calm our nerves. Luckily for us that score did come on 28 minutes when flanker Teigue Williams scored a lovely try wide out, the comversion was missed, 18-5. The halftime whistle soon came and the boys gathered together after a very impressive first 30 minutes.
With the cross wind slightly in our favour second half we restarted looking to open up the gap between the sides, however it was Briton Ferry and their forwards who had the first say with another try from close out. After 3 minutes we now led 18-10. In fairness to the boys, they didn't panic and still kept playing rugby and defended superbly. On 10 minutes winger Ieuan Sleeman raced over in the corner for a well worked try and Alex kicked the difficult conversion, 25-10. The game had seen a couple of flare up's in the first half but on 17 minutes a couple of the visiting team took it a bit too far and a few fists started to fly, thankfully it didn't turn too nasty and Briton Ferry were just penalised. We took the easy penalty which was converted by Alex to make it 28-10. We now had breathing space but all credit to the visitors they came straight back at us and scored again with another forward oriented drive to crash over for their third try which was also converted to make it 28-17 after 19 minutes played. A couple of minutes later a high kick into Ferry territiory saw the ball bounce off the chest of their fullback , the ball was cleverly gathered by fullback turned winger Steff Richards who plucked the ball out of the air just before their fullback grabbed it and raced for the line, only to be tackled a meter or so short but still managed to stretch and just get the ball on the whitewash for a great individual score. The conversion was missed but we led 33-17 with just 9 minutes to go and you could see that Briton Ferry looked beaten. 4 minutes later a well worked move saw Cameron race down the touchline unopposed to dive over for his second try in the corner, 38-17. With nearly the last move of the game we scored our seventh try of the match when Teigue crossed for his second to cap a fantastic performance by our squad. The conversion was good and the final score 45-17 against a very good, strong Briton Ferry team. This will send a message out to the other three teams left in the competion and we now await who we'll play in the Ospreys Cup Semi Final on the 4th March.
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