PHOTOS:
Nico Setaro kicks three points for the Borderers
Fraser Watson tries to break a Crymych tackle

 

Featured Match:

 

Borderers bag big win on try count

 

Whitland 13 Crymych 13

 
Matches between Whitland and Crymych are usually close fought and this Swalec Plate first round match was no exception as the teams shared 26 points but the Borderers progressed to the next stage by dint of the fact they outscored their opponents by two tries to one.
 
The game was fought out in front of a large crowd at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn and the Preseli Men made a bright start as scrum half Rhys Davies landed an early penalty, which was soon cancelled out by a similar kick from Whitland’s kicker Nico Setaro.
 
The Borderers used the experience of New Zealander forwards Raff Barnett and Kieran White alongside the youthful back row of Callum Tree, Jack Mason and Matthew Clarke -  and moved into the lead with an unconverted try by prop Alan Proctor after a typically robust and well-controlled forward drive.
 
Rhys Davies missed another chance of adding three points before he landed a second successful penalty after the interval, but Whitland soon responded when quick hands along their back division saw winger Duncan Evans stride over for an unconverted try.
 
Both sides enjoyed periods of pressure but the only further points came from Crymych when full back Gavin Thomas sliced through to maintain his good form and Davies added the extras.
 
The match was well reffed by experienced official Wayne Davies and when his final whistle blew the teams were locked at 13-apiece – and it was the Borderers who were able to celebrate passage to the next stage on their superior try count.
 

Championship Division:

 

Otters hold on for good away win

 

Tondu 29 Narberth 35

 
Narberth moved into second place in the Championship League behind runaway leaders Ebbw Vale as a result of their narrow win against 12^th-placed Tondu, who played far better than their 12^th slot in the table would suggest.
 
The Otters welcomed back Timoci Kaumaitotoya and he played really well alongside Stuart Warrell, Alex Jenkins and the rest of the Otter pack which turned a 10-9 interval deficit into a 25-10 lead before taking their foot off the pedal and the side from near Bridgend fought back late on so that the visitors were delighted to finish still in front, with a bonus point, whilst Tondu had the consolation of two bonus points for their considerable efforts.
 
Tondu’s four tries came from Jonathan Humphreys, Matthew Murphy and Ashton Evans (2), plus three conversions and a penalty by Gareth Powell.
 
For the Otters, whose front row of Tom Slater, Dan Smith and Sion Lloyd played well, there were tries from No 8 Steffan Phillips, second Row Dylan Richards, centre Morgan Griffiths and scrum half Rhys Lane.
 
No 10 Iestyn Griffiths also exerted a considerable influence as he landed three conversions and three penalties – and the Otters were just about good value for their fifth win of the campaign to go with a draw and two defeats.

Rhys Lane - grabbed a try for Narberth

 

Swalec Plate – Round One:

 

Cracking win for Cardis

 

Cardigan 49 Llanelli Wanderers 12

 

Cardigan followed up their midweek KO Cup thrashing of Pembroke (52-0) with another excellent performance against Llanelli Wanderers as they scored six tries and were already in the driving seat at half time since they led 23-5.
 
The Teifisiders were one place below the Wanderers in the Division Three (West) table but played really well as visiting No 10 Rhydian Morgan scored an unconverted try in the first half and then sliced through again for a second half try which he also converted.
 
But they were never allowed to build any real momentum as Cardigan produced an excellent all-round performance, led by outside half Iestyn Crompton, who bagged a try, five conversions and three penalties for a personal haul of 24 points.
 
Other tries came from scrum half Arwyn Wilson, winger Dorian Butler (2) , loose-head prop Richard Jones and a penalty try – and the Teifisiders look like they are running into their best form.

Cardigan scrum half Arwyn Wilson - got his name on the try sheet

 

Seasiders back to winning ways

 

Llanybydder 17 Tenby United 31

 
Tenby United bounced back to winning ways after the disappointment of a draw the previous week and after trailing Llanybydder by 11-7 at the interval showed their resilience with the wind at their backs, running in 24 points without conceding another try.
 
Home scrum half Dion Thomas claimed his team’s try, with full back Llyr Davies notching four penalties.
 
The Tenby United points’ scorers were not available.

 

Swalec Bowl – Round Two:

 

Seagulls too strong for gritty Quins

 

Fishguard & Goodwick 40 Pembroke Dock Harlequins 7

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins never gave up trying at The Moors but found Fishguard and Goodwick in no mood to bow out of a competition where they reached the final last season.
 
The Quins played with the wind at their backs in the first half but found themselves unable to break down a resolute home defence, although they went close on one occasion as Adam Cawley cut through but the referee was unsighted and couldn’t award the try.
 
The Seagulls led 9-0 at the oranges as player/co-coach Huw Evans kicked three penalties, and with their pack-power beginning to pay dividends they added tries from left winger Ed Bendall, No 8 Simon Evans, winger Matthew George, full back Gareth Adamson and replacement hooker Owain Morgans, three of them converted by Evans.
 
The Quins finally gained a consolation score when Fijian flier Etika Navunisaravi brushed off his opposite number and sped 50 meters for a superb try which outside half Charlie Berry converted.

Owain Morgans - a try for Fishguard's replacement hooker

 

Wasps bow out at Pill Parks

 

Llangwm 10 Tregaron 20

 

Llangwm battled well against a Tregaron side which is in a lower division but is tipped for promotion, and played with typical confidence as a result.
 
The Wasps do not have that winning habit at the moment but showed signs in this game that their relatively young side is beginning to raise the tempo, with a try for hooker Aled Morgan as reward for his hard work alongside full back Tom Meehan, fly half Will Beresford and centre Andrew Brock, who chipped in the conversion and a penalty.
 
The Wasps were 14-10 at the break but Tregaron moved on in the competition with a penalty try and a try from No 8 Dafydd Howells, with both conversions kicked by outside half Chris Jones to go with two penalties by the No 10.

Aled Morgan - try for Llangwm hooker

 

Scarlets suffer in closing seconds

 

Pembroke 26 Laugharne 29

 
Pembroke will look back on this Swalec Bowl match and wonder how they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory after they had taken a 21-0 lead and were still 21-7 in front at the interval.
 
But they allowed Laugharne to claw their way back and although they managed one more score themselves they finally relinquished a place in round three as the visitors grabbed a converted try in the closing moments.
 
Strong-running centre Luke Dow caught the eye for the Scarlets as he sped over for two tries alongside others from hooker Seamus Wiseman, winger Huw James and winger Luca Demarco, playing only his second game of senior rugby.
Lewis Davies notched two penalties but all four conversions were off-target – and Laugharne had tries by Mike Williams, Tom Jameston (2), Barry John and Gethin Beynon as John also landed two conversions to set the seal on a great Laugharne come back.
 
For Pembroke it rounded off a disappointing cup week because they had played under lights at Cardigan in midweek and bowed out of the KO Cup by 52-0!
 
 
Saints unable to raise a side
Milford Haven v St Davids
*Match cancelled – St Davids unable to raise a team so forfeit the fixture