Bargoed saw off Cross Keys 42 to 22 in the Premiership on Saturday, extending their own winning streak while leaving their visitors with a heavy defeat. The result was no surprise given the recent trajectories of both sides, though the margin spoke to a complete mismatch from the first whistle.
Bargoed had not lost since May, winning four of their last five before this one, while Cross Keys had tasted defeat in four of their five previous outings. And here's the thing — the gap between them was always going to show eventually. The hosts pressed from the opening minutes and never let up.
We had tipped this one for the home side with seventy per cent confidence, and the match delivered exactly what we expected. Cross Keys simply never got going, while Bargoed found a way back into it whenever the visitors thought they had something to say. The old head settled them down when the game threatened to drift.
Bargoed's recent form tells the story: a thirty-one to twenty-six win over Bonnymaes last weekend, a twenty-five to sixteen victory against Llanelli Wanderers, and a thirty-three to seven dismantling of Istra Ronda. They played the second half a man up in terms of momentum, and Cross Keys felt the pressure throughout.
The visitors, meanwhile, had lost seven to thirty-one away at Merthyr and twenty-four to thirty-eight at Narberth before their solitary win against Nith. To be fair, they had shown flashes — thirty-two to twenty-seven in that victory — but consistency was never going to be their strong suit.
By then, the result was clear. Bargoed's position in the table strengthens, and Cross Keys' struggles continue. The scoreline reflects not just tonight but the last few months for both clubs.
