Bishop's Cup:
Blues bag Bishop Cup against brave Wasps
Haverfordwest 32 - Llangwm 5
Haverfordwest gained their expected victory over Llangwm in the Bishop Cup but the Wasps battled hard throughout and in the final analysis both teams and referee Adrian Slade deserved medals just for taking part in such awful conditions.
Also worthy of praise were the four hardy supporters from Haverfordwest who spent their Boxing Day morning forking the pitch at Merlins Bridge to make sure that the game went ahead, and as a result there was a good crowd who defied the elements to watch some live sport instead of the TV offerings. Well done lads!
Good start for the Blues
Haverfordwest were on top from the early moments when the likes of Brett Davies, Lewis Wood and Alun Harries charged through the paddy-field conditions – and they took an early lead when good ball presented by Tim Phillips, Graham Jenkins and skipper Gareth Green allowed Matthew Morgan to take play left for centre Robbie Neill to saunter over for a good try which Ashley Sutton converted.
Sutton defied the slippery conditions to add three points from a well-judged penalty and just before the interval he slotted a simpler conversion attempt when a concerted drive involving Adam Clark, Ryan Banner and the back row allowed young scrum half Morgan to slice through for an excellent unconverted try to give Haverfordwest a 15-0 interval lead.
Wasps keep battling away
Sutton added another two points when Alun Harries ploughed over near the posts and Harries added his second try, this time unconverted, to really make the game safe for the homesters.
But a series of errors which started with a poor clearance kick and then a knock-on, allowed the Wasps to grab a consolation score when Steve Rees just beat Adam James to the touch down before Andrew Brock's excellent conversion attempt sailed just wide.
Haverfordwest had the final word when Matthew Clark came off the bench to score an unconverted try and with referee Adrian Slade sensibly bring the match to a conclusion soon afterwards there was no doubting the fact that Haverfordwest deserved to win – but both sides deserve every credit for sticking to the task in such dreadful conditions.
** Prior to the match both teams and supporters observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect for two lovely ladies in Merle Inward and Eileen Hughes, both with strong Llangwm connections, who had sadly passed away.
They are the respective wives of Gerald Inward and Marley Hughes and they have children and grandchildren with strong reputations in sport – and our thoughts go out to all the members of both families who have lost such special people. **
Haverfordwest: Ashley Sutton; Jamie Lewis; Robbie Neill; Dan Birch; Darren Salmon; Michael Jones; Matthew Morgan; Graham Jenkins; Gareth Green (Capt); Tim Phillips; Adam Clark; Ryan Banner; Brett Davies; Alun Harries; Lewis Wood. Replacements: Craig Barnett; James Barton; Carl Rees; Matthew Clark; Ollie Reyland.
Llangwm: Jonathan Brock; Steve Thomas; Adam James; Josh Davies; Simon Preddy; Andrew Brock; Carwyn Morgan; Aled Morgan; Ben Llewellyn; Michael Terry; Daniel Hughes; Lawrence Holder; Ashley Jack; Ian Griffiths (Capt); Ashley Jack. Replacements: Roy Venables; Steven Rees; Ryan John; Harry Grant; Matthew Gow.
Referee: Adrian Slade.
Photos:
Matthew Morgan dashes over for a superb try
Blues' winger Jamie Lewis tackles Wasps' full back Jonathan Brock
Blues pack drive towards Wasps' try line.