photo by Simon Green

The Blackwood Bulldogs secured first place in Welsh Conference Premier with an outstanding performance against the West Wales Sharks with a club record score of 82-8.

In the capital the Valley Cougars and Cardiff Demons began the day second and third in the table respectively knowing that a win would guarantee home advantage in the play offs.

In a seesaw first half the Cougars were ahead through Sam Coomber after just three minutes but the Demons hit back with a well worked Miles Davies try converted by Shane Goddard.  A try apiece saw the Demons leading 12-10 at the break.

Early second half Demons pressure came to nothing but a Parry penalty on forty three minutes tied the scores.  Then the Cougars Rhodri Thomas scored going in under the posts for Stephen Parry to convert. 

The Cougars extended the lead but the as the Demons looked to fight back the Cougars applied a killer blow and secured second place in the conference with a 30-24.

“Our Best Ever Victory”, that is how Bridgend Blue Bulls stand in Captain Lloyd O’Connor and coach Jon Purnell described their narrow 38-36 win over the Newport Titans in a thrilling game in which both sides scored seven tries.

The Titans almost took the lead early on after a break from scrum half Owen Jones but the ball was knocked forward. Bridgend then had a great six minute spell scoring three tries through Rhys Hawkins, Lewis Tutt and debutant Jamie Murphy with Lloyd O’Connor adding two goals for a deserved 16-0 lead.

But the Titans hit back in style scoring four unanswered tries of there own through Matthew Dwyer, Mallick Alou, Owen Jones and Brett Green all scoring with Scott Bessant (2) and Ross Palmer adding goals to give Newport a 20-16 half time lead.

Newport looked certain to claim their first ever victory over Bridgend with an early second half try but the Blue Bulls fought back to establish a 10 point lead.

The Titans, once again, fought back but missed a last minute conversion to level the game.

The last game in the conference between the Torfaen Tigers and Neath Port Talbot Steelers was postponed.

With final round complete only the top two places along with the bottom are decided as there are still a number of games outstanding. On Wednesday the Tigers host the Newport Titans at the Memorial Ground kicking off at 7pm followed by an away trip to the Blue Bulls next Sunday at 2:30pm. Meanwhile on Saturday the Titans will host the Bulldogs.