Narberth 17
Bargoed 22

Otters: Narberth’s Adam Clark battles for the ball at the line-out after an over throw.

TABLE toppers Bargoed had to withstand a second half siege by Narberth, as the Otters clawed back a nineteen point half time deficit to come within a score of beating the Blues in a thrilling encounter at the Lewis Lloyd ground. The Otters were the only club this season to deny Bargoed a bonus point victory, and they did it again, restricting the Rhymney Valley side to a three try total as the Blues continued their unbeaten run to seventeen games in the Championship.

The game couldn’t have got off to a better start for Bargoed as a scrum on the half way saw number eight Ross Coombes pick up and feed scrum half James Pizey. Jordan Purcell hit the line at pace from full back and the youngster jinked his way to the line, wrong-footing four Narberth defenders to score a brilliant solo effort from 35 metres. Josh Prosser added the extras and the scoreboard was ticking over after only two minutes.

Both sides were clearly up for a fluid game but defences were on top until just before the half hour mark, when Bargoed extended their lead. Narberth were caught offside and Prosser pinned them back in their twenty-two. A clean catch and drive saw the forwards go close, Coombes broke from the back and slipped a pass to wing Lewis Protheroe who twisted out of a tackle by a Narberth second row and his strength took him over for a try. Prosser again adding the extras.

Referee Jon Hardy, having a fine afternoon with the whistle, warned the Narberth captain after the penalty count started to mount. Prosser again opted to kick to the corner rather than take a fairly simple shot at goal. The inevitable catch and drive came on but was halted. Geraint Edmunds took it on and as he went down slipped a pass to quick thinking prop Keiron Brown and over he went for the Blues’ third try. Prosser missed his only kick of the afternoon to make it 0-19.

Prosser and Narberth outside half Ianto Griffiths swapped penalties in the final two minutes of the half and the game looked over for the home side at 3-22.

Bargoed started strongly following up a deep kick into the Narberth twenty two and charging down the clearing kick. The ball could have gone anywhere but it fell kindly for retreating Narberth centre Steve Martin who took the ball in what would have been an offside position had he not been played onside by the Bargoed charge down. The Otters surged up-field where they scored from a driving maul, flanker Stuart Worral taking advantage of a big blindside gap to score in the corner. Ianto Griffiths converted well from the touchline and Narberth were back in the game at 10-22 with only five minutes of the second half gone.

Two minutes later referee Jon Hardy having issued the earlier warning yellow-carded Narberth replacement prop Ollie Evans for a ruck infringement and equalled matters up five minutes later with Bargoed’s Geraint Edmunds getting the same treatment. Neither side could take advantage but Narberth were camped in Bargoed’s half for long periods unable to break through the Blues’ defence. Time and again they battered away without success – for their part Bargoed tried and failed to get field position and as the clock ran down, worse was to follow with influential Bargoed hooker and captain Leigh Meades got a yellow for bringing down a driving maul.

Narberth sniffed a way back and called a scrum from the penalty which the Bargoed seven repelled magnificently. However, Narberth got to within a score of Bargoed’s lead with a 79th minute try from wing Lawrence Headlam converted by Nick Gale. There was still time for a restart and the Bargoed supporters looked on nervously as they retained possession from the restart and cleared into touch to make it seventeen in a row as they ran out 17-22 winners.

Narberth sit in sixth position and travel to Llanharan on January 28.