Connacht stage dramatic comeback

Bridgend 23 Connacht 24

Connacht staged a remarkable comeback to come from 17-0 down to make it five wins on the trot and march into the quarter-finals of the Celtic League after this encounter at The Brewery Field.

Connacht looked dead and buried as Bridgend piled on the points in a powerful opening quarter. However Connacht¹s fighting spirit came to the fore and they dominated the second-half to carve out their third one point win in the campaign.

In the process Connacht maintained a remarkable winning sequence against Welsh sides ‹ this being their seventh win out of seven against Welsh opposition since the Celtic League started.

Bridgend were on top early on and Wales A international Craigh Warlow edged them in front with a penalty after eleven minutes before Tongan international Maama Molitika got in for their first try after 17 minutes.

Warlow converted and also added the pointd when Dafydd James scored a try after 20 minutes to make it 17-0 to the home side.

Connacht lost Tim Allnutt through injury after half an hour and was replaced by Shane Moore.

Connacht came more into the game towards half-time and were rewarded with an excellent try in the left corner from Wayne Munn to leave it 17-5 at the break.

Connacht were an inspired side after the restart and took the game to the home side.

Eric Elwood pulled back a penalty within three minutes of the restart but this was cancelled almost immediately as Warlow found the range from the ten metre line.

But Bridgend were forced on the backfoot from there on. Elwood landed another penalty after 49 minutes before Darren Yapp got in at the left corner after great work by Colm Rigney.

Going into the final quarter Mark McHugh landed a monster penalty from close to half way to leave just a point between the sides at 20-19.

Bridgend hit back and Warlow landed another penalty to extend their lead with seventeen minutes remaining but once again Connacht bounced back and took the game to the home side.

The winning try came eleven minutes from the end after great work done the left culminated with Mark McHugh getting in for the decisive try. He was off target with difficult convert as both sides went to win in the match during a hectic closing period.

Connacht spent most of that time on the offensive and did not allow Bridgend to steal the game as Connacht maintained their 100% record with a second-half display that typified the spirit they have shown this season.

Bridgend: A. Carter; R. Mustoe, G. Thomas, D. James, C. Richards; C. Warlow, S. Martens; C. Loader, G. Williams, C. Horsman; A. Moore, D. Jones; M. Molitika, N. Budgett, C. Harris.

Replacements: B. Phillips for Williams, inj. 24 mins; J. Funnell for Richards, inj. 65 mins; J. Theil for Horsman, 70 mins; R. Bryan for Molitika, 79 mins.

Connacht: M. McHugh; T. Robinson, D. Yapp, T. Allnutt, W. Munn; E. Elwood, C. Keane; D. McFarland, J. Flannery, P. Bracken; D. Browne, R. Frost; C. Rigney, E. Peters, J. O¹Sullivan.

Replacements: S. Moore for Allnutt, inj. 30 mins; M. Uijs for Flannery, half-time; R. McCormack for Bracken, half-time; M. Swift for Browne, 73 mins.

Referee: R. Goodliffe (England).