Violence erupted amid ugly scenes during the big Championship clash between Bargoed and Pontypool at the weekend. It resulted in a player from either side being sent off, with the whole bizarre episode having been captured on video.
The incident happened 57 minutes into the game at Bargoed Park. After a flare-up following a powerful scrum shove from the home side, Pontypool tight head prop Scott Evans and Bargoed back five forward Louis Blacker were yellow carded by referee Ian Davies. However, as they were walking off, the pair squared up to each other and then began fighting.
That prompted a mass dust-up, with players from both sides rushing in and a couple of scuffles breaking out. The highly experienced Davies swiftly made his decision, issuing red cards to both Evans and Blacker.
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Both players now face bans, with the WRU set to look into the incident.
Bargoed were leading 22-10 at the time and that’s how the game finished as they strengthened their place at the top of the Championship table. They registered tries through outside half Josh Prosser, wing Steff Thomas and scrum-half James Leadbetter, after lock Ashley Sweet had opened the scoring for the visitors.
With the planned end-of-season play-offs having been cancelled by the WRU, Bargoed now look firm favourites to claim the league title. They are five points clear of second-placed Bedwas with a game in hand.
Pooler are down in fourth, with their hopes of finishing top having effectively ended with Saturday’s defeat. Their head coach Leighton Jones didn’t pull any punches in his post-match assessment.
“Bargoed fully deserved the win, they were by far the better team,” he said. “I think our discipline was terrible, our error count was not acceptable, partly because Bargoed put us under pressure and they wanted it more. We were well under par and I would question every one of our players, ‘Did they really want to be there?’.
“Some of the analysis of this game is going to be quite brutal. The boys, and us as management, are going to have to hold their hands up and have a look at the footage and see where we are making errors. I think from me down, it was not acceptable for Pontypool, which is well looked after by the owners. For the jersey, the badge, the supporters and the owners, we’ve done nothing for them today.”
He continued: “We came second best in everything and everyone was beaten by their opposite number from management down, so we will expect a reaction. But there will be a club reaction to that as well with the boys. We’re not a bad team overnight. If there’s not a reaction then we’re in trouble.
“I think Bargoed are firm favourites. They definitely want to win this league more than us and more than most teams. On the performance we put in, I think we’d be lucky to stay in the top six. So unless there is a big reaction and difference in our want to play rugby and our want to work hard, we’re going to struggle to stay in the top six.”
