Fixture

Caerphilly completed another 13 try rout in their latest National League Division 3 East fixture last weekend at the Constructaquote Stadium, their latest quest completing a double over New Tredegar. The victory helps the Green Army keep track with the remaining sides at the top of the league, given the number of games remaining compared to the remainder of the pack, especially given that league leaders lost their first game of the season going down 18-16 against Newport HSOB, leaving the Caerphilly side trailing by just 9 points with 3 games in hand.

The game started at high tempo for the home side as they scored their first try within 5 minutes Tom Candy, the full back rounding off a move out wide for the first of his 4 try’s. Next to cross the whitewash was flanker Josh Williams after a direct break through the centre of the visiting defence by right wing Gareth Dare, weaving his way through 6 tacklers, flanker Gary Davies planting the perfect pass from the deck, outside half Matthew Hurley adding the first of his conversions.

Connor Kawulock was next over the line, finding space out wide from the restart. It was Candy who crossed for his brace on 27 minutes following a break through the centre from scrum half Joe Bray, the diving pass putting Candy in space for a converted try. 36 minutes saw the home side exert immense pressure on the New Tredegar scrum, after a failed break took play up to the 5mtr line. The pressure told and the home side pushed the visitors off their own ball where Davies dived on the ball over the line, Hurley adding the conversion. No.8 Josh Hayward then crossed on the stroke of half time following a break from the base of the scrum, running from his own 10 mtr line, sprinting travelling the length of the field for a simple converted try.

Gareth Dare’s brace came 4 minutes into the second half, the winger skipping through more tackles to score out wide, Hurley again adding a difficult conversion. The visitors never gave up and were rewarded with an interception try on 49 minutes, centre Ricky Hawkins crossing, full back Rhys Edwards converting.

Having rung in the changes, once the side had acclimatised the flood gates opened with 5 try’s in 10 minutes as the buoyant home side cut their visitors to pieces, scoring, almost from every restart. Candy grabbed 2 more to complete 4, Dare grabbed his hatrick and centre Chris Thomas grabbed a brace, whilst Hurley converted them all as referee Gareth Johns blew up early to save any further embarrassment with the visitors on their knees.

Caerphilly look forward to a re-arranged tie against Blackwood Stars at Blackwood RFC on Friday night, whilst the second team will make their first Cup Final appearance next Wednesday, 22^nd March as they take on Rhydyfelin 2ndXV in the Mel Davies Cup.

The first team will be well prepared to face the challenge of the National Bowl Semi Final at Taff’s Well on the 25^th March as they take on Cilfynydd for a place at the Principality Stadium in April. Kick off 2:30pm.