Sheer rugby excitement  – defensive fortitude, incisive attacking, a thrilling finale and ultimately a notable away win for Neath.

Two Bargoed tries in the last five minutes saw Neath cling on in a nail-biting finish to edge an often spectacular game of eight tries and thus complete a rare double over their formidable opponents who remain a place behind in the league table.

The home side started at a tremendous pace and tested Neath’s defensive resolve from the outset but Neath broke out as winger Jon Bayliss was shown the outside by his opposite number, gleefully accepted the challenge and scrum-half Connor Tantum was on hand inside to canter under the posts.

It was Neath’s 100th try of the season  in all games – and a splendid one at that – and outside-half Steff Williams’ conversion made it 7-nil to the visitors.

Bargoed countered with some powerful attacking play which was met head on by the proud Neath defence. Grim resolution was the order of the day led by the hard-working back-row trio of Casey Williams, skipper Ben Williams and Gethin Tremlett.

The whole team defended manfully in a Black Wall but Neath were living dangerously but Bargoed’s territorial advantage told though when an attacking maul went to ground and the referee awarded Bargoed a penalty try which cost Neath the services of Bull Dabeh for ten minutes too.

Bargoed kept up the attack and they took the lead on the half hour when full back Dylan Williams crossed to give them the lead which few in Neath could argue about as Bargoed had dominated the first half-hour – indeed, a lesser side than Neath would have been more than 7-12 down.

Somehow, the All Blacks re-gathered themselves and, having weathered the storm, they struck back in the ten minutes leading up to the interval.

The visitors hammered away at the Bargoed line and drove hard off two attacking line-outs won by Matthew Davies and Jacob Blackmore. Next, Tantum and Blackmore stole away off a Bargoed throw but Neath were held up over the line and the live-wire Tantum went close yet again.

Neath continued to threaten and a rock solid scrum in the 22 saw the ball spread through , centre Sean Wilcox and Kieran Charles so outstanding in defence now able to express their attacking talents, and left wing Rhodri Wall crossed in the corner for an equalising try.

Half-time – Bargoed 12 points, Neath 12 points

Neath had turned the game on its head and just as Bargoed had held sway for much of the first half so Neath dominated the second.

Five minutes in, the All Blacks swept on to the attack, Steff Williams and Rhodri Wall inter-passing delightfully off a quickly-taken line out for that man Tantum to run the support line and bag his second try which Steff Williams converted for 19-12.

Neath pressed and pressed, forcing a series of attacking line-outs as they spurned a goal-kick under the posts. Bargoed were reeling but an over-throw gave them some respite.

Rhodri Wall was tackled without the ball when a try seemed certain and Bargoed began to introduce their replacements to shore up their hard-pressed defence. Mason Morgan and Kian Jones got through a lot of work and Neath struck crucially for their bonus point try, the forwards driving hard to set up a blind-side try as full back Iestyn Morgan sent Bayliss flashing in at the corner.

Steff Williams added the vital conversion points and Neath were 26-12 up but the game was not done and, as Neath emptied their own bench they lost their focus somewhat and Bargoed took advantage with a try by replacement Joe James which outside-half Josh Prosser converted for 26-19.

Neath switched the kick-off which served only to present Bargoed with possession and the chance to attack again and attack they did as went over for their fourth try through Tom  Rice. Fortunately for Neath, the normally dead-eye Prosser missed the conversion so they still held a slender two-point advantage.

Bargoed’s unlikely comeback had Neath sweating but the All Blacks held on, stood up a Bargoed man in the tackle and the final whistle blew to bring to an end a thrilling game of rugby football which will keep the supporters of both clubs talking for years.

• Neath now move on to a home game against Llangennech on Friday, March 28 which kicks off at The Gnoll at 7.30pm. – if the thrills and spills match this one, it will be quite a game !
• And, with Pontypridd involved in the WRU Cup final on Saturday, April 5, that gap will be filled by a visit from 50th Anniversary-celebrants South Gower who are to be congratulated on having just won promotion – as runners-up to Neath Athletic – from Division 3 West Central.

BARGOED –  D Williams; A Norton, L Yendle (J Howells) (R Thomas), M Lewis, M Powell (D Evans) ; J Prosser, J Leadbeater (capt); L Jones (K Brown), M Edwards (L Tovey), K Bale (J Parry); M Thomas, L Fleming-Jones (T Rice); W Gregory, R Handford (J James), R Stephens

NEATH  – I Morgan; J Bayliss (N Orrells), S Wilcox, K Charles, R Wall (M Jenkins); S Williams, C Tantum (R Cole); M Morgan (J Jones), K Jones, T Dabeh (B Uphill); M Davies, J Blackmore (E Hopkins) ; C Williams (O Rice), B Williams (capt) (D Ceredig), G Tremlett

Referee – Mr K Lewis (Ystradgynlais)

Top of the Table                        P        W       D        L         For    Agst          Points

Pontypridd                                  18       15       0        3        598     315        73

Merthyr                                       16       14       0        2        750     248        72

NEATH                                        18       13       1        4        532     380        66

Bargoed                                      17       10       1        6        444     380        52

Brecon                                        19       9        1        9        540     501        51

Images courtesy of Len Kowalski www.lensworkphotography.co.uk