Photo by Mark Harris

Blackwood Bulldogs put in an outstanding second half performance to overcome Cardiff Demons 28-20 to qualify for the Welsh Grand Final at the Brewery Field in Bridgend next Sunday.

The final, against Valley Cougars, kicks off at 1pm and will be played before Celtic Crusaders clash against Leigh Centurions in National League One.

The semi-final was the first time that Cardiff Demons had been beaten by more than six points all season. Gareth Jones had an opportunity to give Demons an early lead with a penalty after Blackwood were penalised in the play-the-ball but the kick went centimetres wide.

However he made up for it on 14 minutes when he kicked a successful goal from in front of the sticks following another infringement.

It was Blackwood who scored the first try when Anthony Symonds set up Paul Emmanuelli to go over in the corner.

Cardiff levelled things five minutes later through another Jones penalty goal.

Blackwood had an opportunity to regain the lead five minutes before the interval but Byron Williams was held up over the line by Marcus Edwards.

However they made up for it in the tenth minute of added on time in the first half when Gareth Price dived in under the sticks with Emmanuelli converting.

The second half was all Blackwood’s.

Emmanuelli added another two more penalties early on to give them a ten point gap.

Lewis Hamer scrambled his way over in the corner to increase Blackwood’s lead further before quickfire scores from Trevor James and Stuart Vokes made the game safe for the unbeaten league

leaders.

Cardiff scored a consolation try, their first of the game, with six minutes remaining through Wayne Williams that Jones duly converted.

Ben Kerr added another for the capital side just before the end but it was too little too late.

Paul Emmanuelli kicked a penalty in the second minute of added on time in the second half but there was still time for another try in one of the longest rugby league games in history as Gareth Davies dived over for the Demons with Jones added the extras in the final kick of the game.

BLACKWOOD BULLDOGS
1.    Grenville Jones
2.    Trevor James
3.    Gareth Price
4.    Lewis Hamer
5.    Gareth Dare
6.    Paul Emmanuelli
7.    Jeremy Lloyd
8.    Paul Young
9.    Byron Williams
10.  Gareth Davies
11.  Stuart Vokes
12.  Mark McGee
13.  Gareth Hutchinson
14.  Martin Williams
15.  Antony Simmons
16.  Clark Morgan
17.  Chris Oliver
Tries: Emmanuelli (20), Price (40), Hamer (52), James (58), Dare (62)
Goals: Emmanuelli 4/8

CARDIFF DEMONS
1.    Andrew Bradshaw
2.    Ross Wardle
3.    Ben Kerr
4.    Chris Holcombe
5.    Gareth Davies
6.    Gareth Jones
7.    Shayne Goddard
8.    Graham Hughes
9.    Miles Davies
10.  Pat Howell
11.  Mark Dando
12.  John Darcy
13.  Andrew Lee
14.  Wayne Williams
15.  Paul Cronnick
16.  Marcus Edwards
17.  Kyle Blake
Tries: Williams (74), Kerr (79), Davies (80)
Goals: Jones 4/6

article by Ian Golden
3 August 2008