WELSH PREMIERSHIP Bridgend (5) 22 Tries: S Martens, J Thiel, G Cull. Cons: G Cull (1). Drop Goal: Gareth Cull (1). Neath (3) 13 Tries: Shane Williams. Cons: S Connor (2). Pens: S Connor (2). Referee: Nigel Whitehouse Att: 3,000

Bridgend's 13th league win from 14 games saw them secure the Welsh Premiership title for the first time.

A 22-13 victory over Neath meant they won the last Welsh League before the introduction of regional rugby.

It was a fitting way to clinch the championship as the Ravens avenged a recent setback against Neath, their only league defeat all season, and how it was welcomed at the Brewery Field.

Both sides put any title nerves behind themselves and stated the game positively attempting to spread the ball wide.

Neath were first to make their mark on the scoreboard, Shaun Connor slotting over an early penalty for the visitors.

Bridgend then countered with some good running rugby forcing Neath to defend deep within their 22.

The pressure paid dividends after six minutes when Lee Jarvis had an attempted clearance kick charged down by Silio Martens.

The dynamic Ravens scrum-half pounced on the loose ball and darted over for the try.

Bridgend should have built on the score, but full-back Gareth Cull missed both the conversion and a following penalty.

Connor was more successful with his kicking however, adding a second penalty to put Neath back into the lead.

Shane Williams scores for Neath

The Ravens pack then went about increasing pressure up-front. Spoiling loose ball, they prevented Neath setting up any worthy attacking platforms.

Indeed, Bridgend stopped Neath creating any momentum via their forwards.

But they paid for their negativity on the half-hour mark when Martens was sin-binned for impeding at the breakdown.

Despite having a one man advantage, Neath failed to break the resolute Bridgend defence and build on their lead.

The game exploded into life after the interval and produced three tries in as many minutes.

The first came through Bridgend's Canadian prop John Thiel. He burst over from short after some fine recycling by the Ravens forwards.

Neath had no intension of giving up their lead however and immediately stuck back with a try from Shane Williams.

Both Thiel and Cull scored tries for the Ravens

Then came the third, another slick piece of passing and support saw Gareth Cull exploit a hole in the Welsh All Blacks defence and add another try to Bridgend's tally.

Despite not having his kicking boots on in the first 40 minutes he followed that up with the conversion.

Neath suffered further set backs when Jamie Ringer was sin-binned for the illegal use of the boot and hooker Barry Williams leaving the field with a suspected broken hand.

The match then suffered a scrappy period of play which saw both sides further reduced on the hour mark.

John Thiel and Hywel Jenkins being sent to the bin for clashing in the lineout.

Bridgend were forced to defend for the rest of the game as Neath looked to claw their way back into the match.

But in a reversal of kicking form, Gareth Cull struck a wonderfully weighted drop goal in the 79th minute and sealed both the victory and the title for Bridgend.

When the final whistle came, both fans and players celebrated to the sound of Queens 'We Are The Champions' after a well deserved victory.

Bridgend: Cull; Carter, Bishop, Taumalolo, Owen; Warlow, Martens; Pope, B. Phillips, Thiel, D. Jones, Budgett, Molitika, Bryan, Harris.
Reps: R. Jones, van Rensburg, Powell, G. Thomas, Harries, M. James.