Fixture

Caldicot earned a rare victory at Chepstow with a dominant five try display the likes of which hadn’t been seen in over two decades. With national billing following Phil Steels ‘game of the day’ announcement on Scrum V, a healthy crowd were treated to running rugby despite wet and slippery first half conditions.

Chepstow were confident of a straight forward victory with a new coaching regime, some early season form and active player recruitment from as far afield as Cardiff. They started strongly, driving through their much vaunted forward pack but were met with equal ferocity by the young Caldicot eight, which had a point to prove after an insipid performance the week before.

Caldicot coaches Jason Elliott and Tim Hanks had asked everyone to be step up and to a man their charges did exactly that. Despite significant possession and the advantage of superior size and experience, the home side simply couldn’t escape their own half, in the opening 10 minutes with second row Dom 'The Knife' Owen, blindside Joe Maclean and Hooker Martyn 'Skippy' Beddows leading a frenzied tackling display.

With Plan 'A' thwarted Chepstow began to run out of ideas and Caldicot started to exert control, with the dynamic Number 8 'Perfect' Rhys Evans breaking from the base of a scrum to drive over from 10 metres out for an unconverted try. A penalty shortly after the restart saw Caldicot fly half Ashley Donovan pump the ball 60 metres down field. Off the top ball from the ensuing lineout gave a glimpse of things to come as inside centre Huw 'Slug' Adams charged onto a flat pass barrelling through would-be defenders who were forced to concede a penalty, converted by Donovan for an 0-8 lead.

Caldicot then conceded a penalty under pressure following a charge down which Chepstow kicked to the corner, driving the lineout for an unconverted try of their own, (5-8), however Caldicot hit back with a try of exceptional quality, started and finished by No.8 Evans. He broke from a scrum in Caldicot's 22 and released classy scrum half James Hall who cleverly dummied inside and raced down the right wing, passing inside to wing Matthew 'Bones' Jones who popped the ball out of the tackle to the ever present Donovan who made the try scoring pass to the marauding Evans, Donovan narrowly missing the conversion (5-13).

A hectic second quarter saw some end to end rugby but Caldicot continued to create the better chances. Chepstow’s back three looked shaky under the high ball all afternoon and it was a fumble from their fullback that ultimately saw them concede a penalty for offside which Donovan narrowly failed to convert. No.8 Evans then had a chance for his hatrick only to lose control of the slippery ball with the try line at his mercy. Chepstow, lucky to remain at full strength after being constantly penalised for being offside in the red zone, managed to hold out, the second half finishing 5-13, with a snap drop goal from Caldicot fullback Matthew 'Spence' Spencer falling short.

Caldicot fans and players alike were conscious they’d failed to put the game to bed, letting at least 14 points and arguably more go begging. Any nerves were quickly settled in the opening seconds of the 2nd half however, substitute Ben Price having an immediate impact, setting up another length of the field effort with brave work down his wing, chasing and reaching a ball he had no right to and tapping it back into the hands of Donovan. Clever interpassing between Donovan, Adams, outside centre Matthew 'Millsy' Hill and Adams again, put Donovan in for the try of the day and a 5-18 lead.

Sloppy restart work from Caldicot immediately handed 3 points back to Chepstow after a penalty in front of the posts for handling on the floor but Caldicot could sniff a bonus point and duly obliged when off the top ball was fed to the impressive Adams to batter his way over from 10 metres for a simple score, the bonus point and a 8-25 scoreline, following Spencer’s conversion.

The visitors rounded off a dominant display with a lineout drive from which hooker Beddows blasted down the blindside unopposed and around underneath the posts for the easiest of conversions for Spencer. Chepstow to their credit did score a consolation try after sustained pressure on the Caldicot try-line eventually saw them drive over, however it was too little too late.

Caldicot were delighted to be able to give their travelling supporters a 13-32 final scoreline and 5 points, not to mention local bragging rights. The victory sees them climb to 6th in the league and they look forward to next week’s visit of 5th placed Cwmbran for a 2.30pm k.o. at Longfellow Road.