Wanderers fall to classy Bedwas

 

Wanderers 6 

Bedwas 38

A bright but cold evening at the Memorial Ground saw Glamorgan Wanderers fall to a clinical Bedwas side, who capitalised on key moments to secure a convincing win.

After the match, Team Manager Mark Gould reflected, “Disappointed not to match the performance we put in earlier this season,” while Head Coach Paul Matthews added, “Given the number of absences, we competed well, especially in defence, but the game got away from us.” Both comments summed up a frustrating outing for the home side, whose efforts didn’t quite translate to the scoreboard.

The match got off to a difficult start for the Wanderers as they failed to gather the opening kick-off, allowing Bedwas to seize early momentum. A midfield turnover and penalty soon followed, putting the visitors on the front foot. Despite a committed defensive display early on, Wanderers were unable to clear sustained pressure, and after a warning from the referee for repeated infringements, Bedwas broke through in the corner and converted the try. Amir Walji briefly lifted the home side with a sharp interception and break, and soon after, Shaun O’Rourke charged down a Bedwas kick. Jacob Symes slotted a penalty to get the Wanderers on the board at 3–7. A strong kick chase and possession recovery offered hope, but a midfield handling error let Bedwas off the hook. The visitors responded well, using some direct running and clever offloading to pin the Wanderers back. Although the home side cleared effectively, Bedwas kept the pressure on and scored again after switching play across multiple phases. The conversion was missed, but their control was growing.  Wanderers looked to respond with a well-placed kick to the corner and some composed handling, but a cross-field kick drifted into empty space. Symes added another penalty to close the gap to 6–12, but Bedwas continued to edge the breakdown and territorial battle.  A frantic period saw Bedwas break from a loose ball, but a solid cover tackle and smart play from Walji regained possession. However, a quick lineout caught the Wanderers defence off guard, leading to another converted Bedwas try. The visitors struck once more before the break, finding space out wide with a looping midfield pass. They entered halftime with a commanding 26–6 lead.

The second half saw both teams exchange some loose kicks. Despite forcing a turnover on their own line, the Wanderers conceded again when a defensive cross-kick landed in the hands of a Bedwas player, who finished clinically. Another score followed after some slick handling, further stretching the lead. The Wanderers showed moments of promise—particularly through a quick tap from Walji and a line break by Strawbridge—but were again undone by the referee awarding a turnover penalty at the breakdown, a recurring theme throughout the match. While the Wanderers’ effort couldn’t be faulted, key errors and a well-drilled Bedwas side proved decisive. The focus now shifts to recovery, and bouncing back for the next fixture in Rumney on Saturday.

Wanderers Scorers

Pens: Jacob Symes (2)

Massiv MOM: Osian Phillips
Management MOM: Osian Phillips