By Hywel Fuller
CARDIFF Met came out on top with a convincing win in this fiery clash between local rivals.
The first half couldn’t have started much worse for USW as they allowed a Met attack all the way to the try line before a minute had elapsed.
The defence did manage to recover and hold the ball up over the try line, but from the resulting scrum the impressive Maleli Naiova picked up from the base and powered under the posts from five yards out with fly-half Joel Bezus converting the score.
After that terrible start USW grew in confidence and created chances, though wastefulness and indiscipline in attack proved costly.
Their best chance in the opening stages fell to full-back Jamal Abdillah who took his chance with great athleticism only for a forward pass in the build up to wipe out the effort.
Despite pressure from USW it was Met who struck next with a clever finish from Dakota Cody. This time the try was not converted and screwed horribly wide.
This time USW responded with a well worked try through flanker Rhys Benson, who crossed the line virtually unopposed after a significant number of phases.
Pic: Ed Morgan
It was Met who had the last word of the first half however, with Cody again going over the whitewash after he skipped past some lazy defending from USW to walk under the posts.
Met led 19-7 at the interval, but will have been disappointed not to have been further ahead.
The second half started the same as the first. Met dominated the opening exchanges and were rewarded with a try through scrum-half Sam Leamor who was able to run from his own 22 under the posts with barely a finger laid on him.
With USW now 26-7 in arrears the game seemed to be out of their, but they managed to grab a try from nothing mid-way through the second half after some poor defending.
The resurgence would not last long however, with Met scoring through Thomas Jenkins who was allowed to break through numerous challenges to go in under the posts.
Within a minute of Jenkins’ try Met full-back Tommy Kehoe was crossing the line and although USW did manage a consolation courtesy of Harry Culverhouse the hosts will reflect on being second best throughout.