CONNOLLY TRY SEALS THE WIN

Cardigan sneak through.

WRU NATIONAL BOWL Round 4.

Betws 8 Cardigan 13

The Cardigan cup run continued after they secured a narrow victory away at Betws where second row Rob Connolly managed to cross for the all-important touchdown that decided the match.

The Cardi’s are now in the last sixteen and three games away from a cup final appearance at the national stadium. Players and supporters will be eagerly awaiting the draw later this week and keeping their fingers crossed for a home tie.

Cardigan just about deserved the verdict in a match that was played out in dreadful conditions with the rain lashing down from the outset but they were forced to dig deep late on as the hosts pushed hard for a winning score.

The playing conditions were the worst of the season so far with the rain getting heavier as the game progressed, turning the pitch into a quagmire and playing into the hands of the Betws forwards.

It was the Cardi’s though who struck first when outside half Luke Rogers slotted over a penalty and his team added to this after twenty minutes, when following a driving maul from a line out, second row Rob Connolly emerged from a pile of bodies to claim a try and this was converted by Rogers to give Cardigan a decent lead at 10-0.

Betws came back and drove hard through their forwards but some splendid tackling from the likes of Kieran Hurley, skipper Llyr Griffiths, Bedwyr Davies and Richard Jones kept them out and the visitors went back up the field and increased their lead when Rogers added another penalty before Betws stand off Tom Williams chipped over a three pointer.

The conditions made running rugby almost impossible after the break with the pitch cutting up badly with scrum half Aaron Evans keeping things tight and getting his forwards to tuck the ball up their jerseys and the official in charge was having a job to distinguish who was who with players covered in thick mud.

However a try finally arrived when Betws winger Ashleigh Evans scampered over to set up a tense final quarter with the scores at 13-8 but Cardigan, who were able to call on a strong bench of replacements, managed to hang on for a deserved win.

This weekend Cardigan entertain Ceredigion rivals Tregaron.