VICTORY gave Aberavon home advantage for Sunday’s Principality Premiership tier two play-off semi-final against Bedwas, writes Ian Lovell.

Saturday’s game at the Talbot Athletic Ground started at a reasonable pace as both sides sized each other up.

Bedwas took the lead via the left boot of James S Dixon after the home side were adjudged offside with 10 minutes played.

Dixon added a second penalty after 17 minutes to double his side’s lead.

Aberavon came back strongly and a penalty to touch set up a driving maul which saw prop Rowan Jenkins driven over for a try converted by James Garland.

A third Dixon penalty edged Bedwas back in front before Garland notched a three-pointer to restore the Wizards’ advantage.

The following four minutes proved decisive. A second home try, this time by hooker Ieuan Davies following a driving maul, went unconverted and then a quickly taken penalty saw scrum-half David Pritchard dart over.

Garland added the conversion to give the hosts a 22-9 lead.

Rhys Verley replaced the injured Joe Davies at half time, as Bedwas hoped to find an answer to the dominance of the home side’s scrum and lineout.

Aberavon looked for a way through using their pacy wingers but Bedwas’ defence kept them out as the game became a real arm wrestle.

Bedwas rang the changes after 55 minutes as the entire front row were replaced, while Nathan Hudd entered the fray in place of Geraint Edmunds.

With Adam Williams and Luke Crane coming on around the hour mark, Bedwas had fresh runners to get back into the game, but it was the home side who scored next as Garland notched another penalty.

James Dixon replaced his namesake James S Dixon after 65 minutes as Bedwas tried to get into the game.

Home prop Alex Jeffries was sin-binned for backchat with 69 minutes elapsed but the one-man advantage Bedwas held wasn’t exploited.

Mathew John had a try ruled out for a foot in touch as he burst down the left flank but Aberavon defended resolutely, while Bedwas errors were also compounding the situation.

Replacement Steffen Williams kicked a last-minute penalty for the home side to complete the scoring and saw Bedwas finish a game without scoring a try for the first time this season.

Bedwas return to Aberavon on Sunday (kick-off 3.30pm) as both sides look for a win which will see them into the play-off final against Merthyr or RGC 1404.