Brecon maintain perfect home record against Trebanos

The post-match debrief summed up Brecon’s latest league result perfectly. In spite of the fact that they maintained their 100 per cent home record with their 19 points to 12 victory over Trebanos, there was no euphoria. Instead, there was much more of a sense of having got a job done, in a game which, at times, promised much more.

Co-captain Geraint Workman summed it up perfectly: “We have to look at our performance and accept that we created a lot of pressure and created chances in the Trebanos 22 but we made errors and at the end of the match Trebanos were, deservedly, still in the game. We weren’t helped by the two Yellow cards but our game lacked accuracy when chances were created.”

Backs coach Matthew Trowbridge backed up Geraint’s assessment as he pointed out: “We created some great pressure, particularly in the 1st half, a half which we dominated and played some great rugby. However, not for the first time this season, we failed to consistently turn our opportunities into points on the scoreboard, particularly after we had worked ourselves into good positions in the opposition 22.”

Concluding, co-captain Ioan Edwards lifted the mood as he noted: “It is a measure of our ambition and belief that we can be honest and muted after a win against a team that battled hard and made life difficult. We know we have more to give, hence the lack of celebration, and we know we have work to do during the international break before we face unbeaten Dunvant here on our own patch, but we have shown that if we can be clinical and add consistency, we can cause an upset.”

The ardent Club supporter would echo those statements as they reflected on a game that promised so much at times. Over the first twenty minutes they witnessed a dominant performance and two excellent tries, but they also saw further opportunities squandered and that allowed Trebanos a route back into the game.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Early opportunities were lost and Trebanos levelled on the scoreboard. Brecon then suffered the first of their two sin bins. They overcame that handicap and scored a great try and sought their fourth before the second Yellow and a battle to hold on to the win, which was deserved, but could have been far more clinically achieved.

The opening exchanges were all Brecon. They created opportunities from the kick-off as they camped in or near the Trebanos 22. Second row Luke Evans made a great run through the Trebanos defence to be brought down just metres short. The pressure continued. Second row Rhodri Jenkins, who had a great all-round game, got close off a 5-metre line-out before hooker Cory Westermark, another player who consistently carried and tackled, scored off a rolling maul. With just five minutes on the clock, it was the start Brecon hoped for.

It was more than twenty minutes before Trebanos mounted an attack in Brecon’s half, and that was short-lived. Yet Brecon failed to add to their score, even though they had a clear opportunity when they opted to take on the defence with a man free on the outside.

Finally, after 30 minutes, a score did come and, when it did, Brecon showed what they were capable of. Centre Morgan Powell made two half breaks, going right before scrum-half Gwilym Workman switched left and full-back Llewlyn Brown joined the line. He slipped between two defenders and offloaded to wing Alec Barradell. Not for the first time this season, Barradell showed what a clinical finisher he is as he cut inside his opposite number and ran in to score under the posts. Brown converted.

Brecon were looking comfortable, but from the kick-off they gave Trebanos an opportunity, which they took. The kick-off was dropped when under no pressure. Off a solid scrum, Trebanos went right and maintained pressure, earning a penalty. Off a quick tap, they went left and seemed to knock on in the corner, but the ball was adjudged to have gone backwards and they picked up and scored.

The remaining ten minutes of the half were fairly even, but Brecon finished with a great opportunity to extend their lead. After a late period of pressure and with the Trebanos defence drawn in, Geraint Workman put in a perfect wide kick. On the wing, Jack Davies’ pace put him in the clear and under the ball. He seemed to catch it cleanly with the line beckoning, but somehow he lost control of the ball, knocked on and lost the opportunity to score with the final move of the half.

The second half started much as the first had, with Brecon pressing. This time they failed to score and then caused themselves some damage. The referee awarded Brecon a penalty on the Trebanos 10-metre line, but something was said. The penalty was reversed and a Brecon player sent to the sin bin. Trebanos took their opportunity. They broke downfield and, from a ruck near the Brecon 22, scrum-half Robert Jones ran wide and then switched the ball back inside to centre George Sheppard, who cut through a yawning gap to score a converted try and level the scores.

Brecon now had their work cut out, being a man down and with Trebanos growing in confidence. The response was just what Brecon needed. They made light of being a man short as they returned to the offensive after a great Geraint Workman pick-up. Morgan Powell then put in a lovely kick ahead and Trebanos were trapped near their line.

Not for the first time, Brecon gave away a penalty and the first attack was repulsed. They quickly returned to the visitors’ 22 and, after some continuity near the try line, Brecon went wide. Jack Davies drew his man and fed Llewelyn Brown, who cut inside and ran in for a try which he converted.

Brecon now sought the bonus-point try, a try which would have put their opponents out of touch. However, while on the attack, they were again penalised after the only off-the-ball mass confrontation of the afternoon. The referee adjudged that a Brecon player had initiated the action and he was shown the yellow card.

That led to a final nervous ten minutes. As the clock approached 80 minutes, Brecon were deep in the Trebanos 22, but once again a penalty was given away. Trebanos took the play upfield and a good run by centre Sheppard and a further penalty took play to the Brecon 22 and a Trebanos throw.

With last play called, Brecon’s Keiran Parry leapt high, tapped down to Ben Pritchard, who drove hard, laid back clean ball and Workman kicked to touch to seal the victory.

On the second pitch, the Athletic recovered from their Cup defeat at the hands of Bargoed to claim a 57 points to 15 victory over Ogmore Vale. A notable feat was achieved during the nine-try victory, with both centre Luke Price and returning flanker Osian Davies scoring respective hat-tricks.