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Bonymaen Return To Winning Ways

On a glorious day at Parc Mawr Bonymaen were out to rectify last week's performance at Skewen. Training this past week had been a tough one and rightly so, the resulting performance proving it was needed. 

Bonymaen couldn't have asked for a better start after a good kick chase, a poor clearance from Builth followed up by some slick phase play and an incisive run into the Builth 22m. Fortunately for Builth they managed to get a penalty to relieve the pressure. A well worked lineout catch and drive with some good play from the backs once again saw Bonymaen in the 'killzone', unfortunately the resulting scrum saw the referee award the backpedalling Builth pack with a penalty. The game continued to be a bit of a ding dong affair but with Bonymaen applying most of the pressure. Nathan Eager made an incisive run once again into the Builth 22m after a clean lineout but sloppy hands following some good grunt work from the forwards once again gave the opposition chance to escape upfield. Solid defence followed as Builth mounted a heavy assault in the Bony 22, nothing fancy just up the jumper old school rugby but the boys held strong with John Hyndman securing an all important penalty. Another attack on the Bonymaen line saw a great defensive effort and a monster scrum allow Nathan Eager to leather the ball upfield, the great kick chase pinning Builth back in their 22. A flush back ball at the lineout followed for Bonymaen but unfortunately something that was becoming a recurring theme the referee forgot there was an offside line for the opposition! This was proving to a thorn in the Bonymaen side who were trying to play expansive rugby but were hemmed in by the constant infringements missed by the official. After a positive attack once again into the heart of the Builth defense Bonymaen were finally rewarded with a penalty, Andrew Pritchard deciding to knock it into the corner for a line out. What followed left Player/Coach Allan Powell grinning like a Cheshire Cat, a perfectly executed lineout move saw Nathan Eager stroll over for the first try. Bonymaen continued to try and play expansive rugby but were consistently heamorraghed by some poor officiating at the breakdown, the rest of the first half saw Bonymaen fight tooth and nail to keep Builth out. An immense cover tackle from Kyle Salter proving to be the difference. A defending lineout followed which saw Shaun Sturgess rise like a bear pawing salmon out of the river to steal the ball and allow Nathan Eager to once again punt the ball upfield. A final scrum saw the end of the half and Bonymaen regather in the changing room.

The second half saw Bony come out firing once again, all the intent to play open expansive rugby resulted in some swift hands from the fatties and Kyle 'Smacko' Salter sending Joe Millen over the line for a well worked try. Builth came back again to visit the Bonymaen 22 through the forwards but some fantastic Bonymaen defense kept them out. Towards the end man of the match Kyle 'Smacko' Salter was put in to open space following some lovely play in the backs, he ghosted his way through and comfortably beat 2 or 3 defenders to score under the sticks. In the final minutes of the game Builth finally managed to break the Bony defense and score under the posts.

All in all it was a good win for the Bony and a good reaction from the boys after last weeks shock result at Skewen. Full credit to Builth Wells who fought all the way through and didn't once take a backwards step (especially behind the offside line, ref!). The boys will rue the missed chances and especially that missed Bonus Point but have a lot of positives to take in to a tough away test to Tondu this Saturday.

Also, the photo attached is of Allan Powell after he watched the first try for Bonymaen being executed to perfection.