Horsman leads raid of the Borders
Bridgend 41 Borders 9
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Your support makes all the difference.It is still early days but Bridgend are looking every bit the real deal – on and off the field. A second successive Celtic league win, which proves their opening-round victory at Newport was no flash in the pan, already marks Bridgend down as genuine quarter-final hopefuls.
A new stand, 20 hospitality boxes and all, has changed the whole look and feel of the Brewery Field. And some new players, Andy Moore, Simon Mannix and Cory Harris in particular, playing alongside the likes of Gareth Thomas, Daffyd James and Nathan Budgett, have changed the whole look of the side.
Bridgend are now a far more balanced and complete team, though they will kick themselves for going to sleep for the best part of the second half yesterday. Nevertheless, against the newly formed Scottish team, Borders, yesterday they still displayed a real sense of purpose that ultimately earned them a bonus point for their harvest of tries to go with their four for the win.
The Borders never seriously threatened the home side's line even when Bridgend took their foot off the gas. The real comfort for Bridgend is that they now have a front five capable of winning the sort of possession their backs require to pose problems to any defence. The Wales lock AndyMoore may be the big-name newcomer in that department but prop Chris Horsman is almost certain to make a significant impact in the front row.
Borders, a side combining a mixture of experience and youth, could manage only three penalty goals in the first half while Bridgend were consistently inflicting damage with the ball in hand.
Huw Harries got the first of Bridgend's five tries when he charged down an attempted clearance by Gary Armstrong before Bridgend hit top gear with two tries in just three minutes. Right wing Richard Mustoe appeared wide out on the left to get their second after sustained Bridgend pressure and the flanker Mamma Molitika forced his way over as Bridgend ran the visitors ragged.
The second half was a far more subdued affair with Borders enjoying plenty of territorial advantage but lacking the guile to make it count.
Bridgend soaked up everything the Scottish side threw at them, with prop Horsman scoring the try that earned the bonus point after good work by Craig Warlow.
Warlow, who finished the game with 16 points, and converted every try, including the last by captain Thomas, that put a seal on matters and formally announced that Bridgend are now ready to make their already impressive presence felt.
Bridgend: M James; R Mustoe (C Richards, 73), D James, G Thomas (capt), C Warlow; S Mannix (S Mannix, 74), H Harries; C Loader, A Joy (G Williams 65), C Horsman, R Jones, A Moore, (A Moore, 73) M Molitika (S Van Rensberg, 65) , N Budgett, C Harris (P Booth, 32).
Borders: S Paterson; N Walker, S Cranson (J Stuart, 58), K Utterson, (J Stuart, 70), C Moir; G Townsend, G Armstrong (capt); P Thomson, (C Dunlea, 23-31; 62) S Scott, B Douglas, A Davidson, R Metcalfe, A Rennick, (S McLeod, 61) M Taylor, S Sititi, (T Walker, 71),
Referee: S McDowell (Ireland).
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