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WRU BOWL 2nd ROUND
The match programme generously welcomed ‘a try scoring machine called Porthcawl RFC’ to the Bandstand Field for this second round match in the Bowl competition. Yet, ironically it was the home side that secured the only try of an absorbing match, with the Seaweeds just hanging on for the spoils in a game of two contrasting halves.  
On an afternoon providing perfect conditions for running Rugby, the Seaweeds drew first blood as centre Sean Wilcox make a fine midfield break through the home defence and when he was halted, at the ensuing ruck, Sports fell offside. Fly-half Josh White kicked the penalty for a nil-3 lead.
Sports themselves missed a glorious opportunity to level almost immediately with a penalty shot that fell short.
With Porthcawl playing a high tempo game and their pack setting the platform for several forays into home territory, aided by a swift service from scrum half Ross Parsons, Sports again yielded a penalty and White duly slotted the goal from 35 metres and 0-6.
Sports stepped up to the plate and tried to play good rugby themselves with wing Jack Evans roaming and doing his best to get things moving, however the Seaweeds kept up the pressure and when loose-head Tim Lunn stormed through on a charging run, again the home side fell foul of the referee for White to kick a similar goal to the previous one, this time from 38 metres and 0-9.
Again Sports had a chance to get a penalty of their own after Josh Davies, who had a very good match for the home side, had made the initial inroads into the Seaweeds defence. However, the kick sailed to the right of the posts.
White’s phenomenal goal-kicking has been a feature of Porthcawl’s points scoring this season and when he landed his fourth penalty, a monster kick from 48 metres, it seemed that Sports were destined to hand over easy points, with the score at 0-12 just short of half-time.
No.8 Tom Butcher, a huge presence for Porthcawl damaged a knee and had to leave the proceedings before the half ended, replaced by Dai James yet this didn’t seem to compromise the visitors and it wasn’t long before White again punished Sports with his fifth penalty and 0-15.
Sports managed to pull back a penalty at last, just before the break and one wondered whether this might inspire them for the send half, as they are a side that never stops playing and the came back to win at South Road earlier in the season.
White wasn’t haven’t any of it though, as he kicked his sixth penalty for 3-18 shortly after half time and the match seemed never to be destined to go Sports way at all. Yet it all started change as Sports got their act together and started to force Seaweeds errors.
Realising that they too could boss proceedings, Sports started to get well into the match and only a massive clearing kick from Parsons denied the home side a possible scoring opportunity. Not to be denied, Sports got their just reward as Porthcawl’s usually reliable defence lapsed momentarily and the converted try for 8-18 Wand the possibility of a comeback similar to that with which they won the earlier league match at Porthcawl.
Porthcawl brought on reinforcements in James Burge-Davies for Dai James and Gavin Williams for Anthony Griffiths, with the momentum certainly now with the home side and when a second Sports penalty reduced the score to 11-18 and just one score behind, it was Porthcawl supporters starting to feel the heat.
Wilcox left the centre for Porthcawl, replaced by Jake Thomas and Mike Gulley joined the fray in the front row to steady the scrum somewhat. Josh White had a rare second half opportunity to snatch some further points and push the Seaweeds further ahead with time running out but his kick from Sports 10 metre line fell short.
With both sides giving it everything to the finish, the Seaweeds ran out relieved winners by 18 points to 11 to end a match which was played in a great spirit, hard but fair and was a credit to both sides.
Anthony Griffiths and Matt Davies both had big games for Porthcawl upfront, with Bluck and Gareth Rees constantly probing for openings behind.
Porthcawl will need work hard at training during this week travel away yet again on Saturday as they return to league action at Baglan.