Huckridge the hero as Heol y Cyw hold on to win Swalec Plate

Simon Huckridge was the embodiment of cool, kicking half his side’s points as Heol y Cyw beat Rhydyfelin 20-19 to win the Swalec Plate in a breathtaking match at the Millennium Stadium.

Heol y Cyw celebrate their victory with jubilant supporters.

Both sides did themselves and their division proud with an engrossing display of attacking rugby that unfortunately could not have two worthy winners.

It encapsulated supporters right to the death, and had Rhydyfelin’s Josh James been luckier with some late kicks then it would have been a different club’s name etched on to the trophy.

The match gave us a taste of what was to come when Rhydyfelin worked the ball out to wing Gavin Close, who took the ball from Lloyd Peart to dive over within 52 seconds. Close was a star performer for the men in red and will count himself unlucky to end up on the losing side.

Nine minutes later the Cockerels fought back when Chris Howe was adjudged to have touched down at the centre of a drive at the line. Huckridge beautifully kicked off his points tally for the day by converting.

Then came a succession of penalties, with James landing two and Huckridge one to make the score 11-10 to Rhydyfelin with just 20 minutes gone.

Both sides were playing flowing rugby and entertaining supporters and neutrals in the Cardiff sunshine.

Rhydyfelin in particular impressed, and were unlucky to see two scores disallowed for Peart and Close. The first had seen them run the ball from inside their own 22, and had it not been for a forward pass to Peart following a pinpoint cross-field kick it would have been one of the greatest tries to grace this stadium since its opening.

The second was more controversial, as Close was ruled to have stepped over the boundary before touching down, much to the disdain of the rowdy and numerous support for The Village.

To add to their dismay, Heol y Cyw forced another score after 35 as Howe drove over for his second. Huckridge again converted for a half-time score of 11-17.

James and Huckridge exchanged penalties at the start of the second half to continue their personal dual.

Then on 57, Rhydyfelin struck again. Substitute Ben Allman and Dylan Hughes combined, the latter passing almost half the width of the pitch for Close to gather and sprint over for his second. James, though, agonisingly struck the post with the conversion attempt to leave the score at 19-20.

That signalled a final flurry of Village pressure. They plugged away time and again to try and snatch a victory, but were repeatedly unlucky in their efforts. Loose passes and knock-ons thwarted try-scoring attempts, with supporters growing restless at dithering hands and wrong decisions made.

Huckridge missed a 73rd-minute penalty before James fluffed a long-range drop goal attempt. He then missed a penalty with the last kick of the game to hand the Cockerels victory. The ball took an age to reach its destination, and the relief was evident as the boys in blue threw their arms in the air at the sound of the whistle.