Potent Bargoed hit Llan's Hopes  - 01/05/2010 - BARGOED

SWALEC ONE EAST
BARGOED 52 LLANHARAN 31 (HT 23-18)
The Swalec One East championship will go to the wire as a result of a Bargoed win that puts them one point behind second place Llanharan and in striking distance of leaders UWIC, with a game in hand over both.
Any one of the three could still achieve the honour with the students facing Bargoed mid week and both having to meet reigning champions Blackwood.
Bargoed also play relegation threatened Beddau, while Llanharan have away trips to Ystrad Rhondda and Rumney.
However, the Dairymen, playing their fifth game in fifteen days, will wonder just what happened at the Bargoed Stadium on Saturday as they reached the half hour mark 18-8 ahead and playing with composure.
Amazingly, minutes after the second half began they were trailing 37-18 after a devastating four try burst by the home team, and the result was from then on a formality no matter how well they played.
Codey Rees had opened their account with a penalty but the Rhymney valley outfit claimed the first try as second row Lee Williams crashed over.
A Jamie Howells penalty added to the lead before Llanharan got two quick tries. Typically forceful play by Aarron Pinches opened up the defence for Lee Thorne to touch down under the posts and Rees to convert, and four minutes later, after Paul Adams had been held up as his team attacked from a lineout, full back Elliott Foils went over, the conversion adding to the advantage.
But as Llanharan had found in every one of the three previous visits, Bargoed are a potent attacking force capable of turning any game on its head.
Midfield gaps led to a scrum five which Neil Cochran went over from, scrum half Mike Roberts rounded off a good attack in first half time added on, and then came two more within minutes of the restart.
Flanker Adam Cullen went over from a series of rucks after another poor Llanharan lineout, before a weak up field kick was ran back with profit as centre David Humphries finished off.
Howell’s three conversions and a penalty expanded the score. Rees’s penalty could have been the start of a spectacular fight back but, after an unfavourable bounce deprived Pinches, a length of the field counter attack sent right wing Gareth Dane sprinting in.
Nor could Llanharan benefit from a Bargoed yellow card, although ironically, after Phil Connett had despatched Aled Llewellyn to the line, a storming run by Lee Thorne allowed Foils to get a second.
But in an end to end finish Dane struck again for the home team, Thorne got his second to edge ahead of Adams as top try scorer on thirteen and earn his side a bonus point, and then despite again being down to fourteen Adam Norton dived over on the left to end a breathtaking game of rugby.
Llanharan, E.Foils, L.Thorne, D.Atkins (H.Thomson 47), A.Pinches, P.Adams, C.Rees G.Holloway, J.Greenfield (N.Kibble 78), N.Huish (A.Griffin 78), A.Richards, G.Edwards (Capt.) (B.Carey 62), J.Connors, L.Davies, A.Llewellyn, J.Jones.
Llanharan tries – E.Foils 2, L.Thorne 2. Con and pens 3 – C.Rees.
Bargoed tries – Gareth Dare 2, Adam Norton, Darren Humphries, Mike Roberts, Lee Williams, Adam Cullen, Neil Cochlan.
Cons 3 and pens 2 – Jamie Howells.

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