ALL good things must come to an end, and so did Newbridge’s 100 percent unbeaten Swalec League Division One East record when they visited the Wern Field to face table-topping Merthyr.

Blackwood were in better heart after recording another victory which maintained fourth spot.

But Newport Saracens’ relegation fears deepened with an eighth straight defeat – while in the Swalec Cup there was an 88-0 away win for one of our local teams.

Newbridge began the day with six straight victories and were just a single point adrift of their opponents with a match-in-hand advantage.

However, Newbridge couldn’t quite overcome their pre-match underdog tag as Merthyr stormed to a seventh win in eight starts with a 23-13 success over the Welfare Road outfit.

Though disappointed with the reverse, Newbridge team manager Chris Jones was later in fairly good spirits: “We have to take it on the chin and make sure we bounce straight back,” was his simple remedy to the defeat.

“It’s our first loss in seven matches and that’s a very good record, so it’s not all doom and gloom and we were still in it and only 16-13 down with five minutes to play.

“They deserved to win it, had a very big pack and a number eight who did a tremendous amount of damage to us.

“I could moan about the referee when it appeared he changed his mind about sin-binning one of their players – but I won’t because it’s all by the by now.

“All I know is we’ve got two training sessions to get this out of our system before Saturday’s home game with UWIC.”

Left-winger Tom Watkins crossed for Newbridge’s sole try of the match, with outside-half Richard Powell making up the rest of the points with a couple of penalties and a conversion.

Newbridge are the only team to beat in-form Blackwood this season and they travelled back from Llantrisant 31-22 victors.

Crossing for tries were number eight David Brake, Steve Perry and scrum-half Mark Birkby, with centre Gavin Price successfully landing a penalty and four conversions.

There’s precious little going right for the Sarries these days and it was always going to be a difficult task to gain anything from a trip to face the students of UWIC.

And so it proved as the home side ran out 29-3 winners, with a penalty from full back Owain Biddlescombe being the only score for the bottom-placed Sarries.

“There was a general lack of understanding, and with so many new faces around – we had another four debutants in this match – it’s not really all that surprising a result,” said Sarries secretary Mark Leverson.

“Our confidence is obviously a bit down, but expect us to make some more signings this week as we seek to improve on-the-field matters.”

In the cup, Brynmawr recorded the second round’s highest score – a thumping 88-0 away win over bottom-placed Division Five West outfit Swansea Uplands.

Divisional rivals Tredegar and Fleur-de-Lys also won, but Abergavenny were the victims of a giant-killing act when they went down 5-3 at Three South East hosts Aberavon Quins.

Brynmawr ran in no fewer than 14 tries and converted nine of them, with skipper and second-row forward Damien Hudd and left-winger Geraint Lewis both touching down.

Flower hosted Five South Central club Benwen and ran out comfortable-looking 49-8 winners, crossing for nine tries.

Left-wingers Matthew Davies, centres Mark McKee and Brett Green plus full back Gareth Shiede all scored twice and prop Gareth Watkins once.

Green and flanker Nathan Jenkins both landed a conversion each.

“It was something of a routine victory, and although Branwen played quite well in parts, we did more than enough,” said Flower secretary Alan Evans.

Table-toppers Tredegar are certainly taking a liking to this season’s cup competition, following up their previous-round 90-0 annihilation of hapless Pontllanfraith by seeing off visiting minnows Cwmgwrach 56-10.

However, despite the lop-sided score-line, Tredegar didn’t have it quite their own way throughout.

“Far from it,” revealed Supporters Club chairman Alan Medleycott.

“It was 14-10 at one stage before the break, then only 21-10 for quite a while before they ran out of stamina.

“Credit to Cwmgwrach for making a fist of it and we know they are preparing for Saturday’s big clash at Llantrisant.

“We are only top on tries scored and it’s going to be a real battle royal down there, I’m sure.”

Elsewhere in the competition, Division Five East side Talywain sprang a surprise by beating Three South outfit Nantymoel 27-5 at Emlyn Park, while Division Four East Monmouth bridged a section gap by winning 34-17 against Three South West visitors Seven Sisters.