Fixture

Caldicot RFC 19-22 Blackwood RFC- Blackwood maintains their unbeaten run against promotion-chasing rivals.

Blackwood RFC bounced back from a tough week for the club with another win in their Division 2 East league title charge.

Tries from Joel Hopkins and Callum Gleadall were topped off by a double from Ben Stokes, moving Blackwood fourteen points clear of the promotion places and eleven points clear of Blaina RFC in second. 

The visitors would grab their tries through Williams Francis, Jacob Williams, and Ben Snell.

The home side caught Blackwood napping with a try just short of a minute into the game, William Francis coming infield and crossing over to break into an early lead. 

Ben Stokes put Blackwood back ahead just five minutes later with some footballing skills fooling the home defence, allowing Stokes over the whitewash. 

Blackwood added a second when debutant Joel Hopkins found himself in acres of space off a well-worked lineout move from the visiting pack, giving him a one-way ticket over in the corner.

The hosts fired the game back to a stalemate when Jacob Williams crossed just before the halftime break, topping off an end-to-end first forty minutes. 

Caldicot carried on their scoring ways early in the second half when Snell latched a loose ball in the midfield before racing away unchallenged under the uprights to take the lead. 

Gleadall fired back and reduced the lead to 19-17 to the hosts when the pocket rocket flyhalf took a quick tap penalty before diving for the line.

Unbelievably, Gleadall found his gap and touched down from close range.

Stokes grabbed his second and stole the win for Blackwood, who secured yet another bonus point win on the road. The scrumhalf, again from a tap-and-go penalty, picked his gap and sneaked through the home defensive line. 

Blackwood now face Porthcawl RFC on Saturday 7th, December in the WRU Division 2 cup, and the game is being hosted at Abertillery RFC, The club would like to share its thanks to Abertillery for hosting Blackwood whilst their pitch is temporarily out of action.

Written by Max Drinkwater-James