photo by Mark Harris

Not one for the purists but a try fest in this Welsh Conference encounter at Furnace United RFC.

Blackwood played against the breeze in the first half but started the better.  A try by David James and a pair by Leighton Bassett showed the Bulldogs intentions.  Following that, with tries by Mark McKee and Geraint Williams, set up by Grant Robinson, the Bulldogs were quickly into a 24-0 lead.

A pair of tries by winger Mark Cooke, along with ones by Alan Pope, and Nick Harris all converted by Jon Griffiths, and deservedly West Wales were back level at half time.

The Bulldogs needed a wake up call, and the half time talk seemed to do it.  Paul Emmanuelli, scored the try of the match, with a solo effort, beating a couple of players with a side stepping run to score by the posts.  Bassett then completed his hat trick by making the most of a mistake by his opposing winger.  A James interception, and 50 yard run under the posts, and the Bulldogs were suddenly 18 points ahead.  Still West Wales would not give up, and prop Dai Jenkins ended the good work of Cooke to score a neat try.

On a day of hat-tricks, David James and Mark Cooke, both completed theirs.  Jenkins then made the most of non-existent tackling to score again, and with Griffiths kicking his 5th goal, the score was back to 38-48.

At this stage, the game could have gone either way, but Matthew Dix, pounced on a Sharks mistake to tie the game up.  Emmanuelli kicked his 7th goal, to give a final score of 38-54.

Attack wise, positives for both sides, but the Bulldogs must know to progress in the play-offs the defence must improve.

article by Tony Evans
7 July 2007