PHOTOS:
Simon James and Gavin Walsh move in to make a big hit
Fishguard's young flanker Rhys Lewis on a charge
Featured Match:
Division Four (West):
Gowerton go top despite Seagulls’ efforts
Fishguard & Goodwick 8 - Gowerton 26
Gowerton moved into top spot in the table with a bonus-point win at The M
oors which didn’t really do justice to the effort put in by a Fishguard & Goodwick side which never gave up trying and held its own in terms of possession and territory.But the Seagulls, despite the yeoman efforts of Rhys Lewis, Steve Jenkins, skipper Simon James and the rest of their pack, couldn’t match Gowerton’s ability to turn pressure into points. Nowhere was this more typified than by centre Gareth King, who used to play for Carmarthen Quins and Neath, and showing he still has a nose for points with two well-taken tries.
But it was winger Callum McKenzie who opened the scoring for Gowerton with a soft early try before Fishguard fly half Daf Evans atoned for an earlier slip when he notched a well-struck penalty.
Seagulls fail to take chances
The Seagulls had other chances with the wind at their backs but although Gwilym Jenkins, Gavin Walsh and Lewis all went close it was Gowerton who led 12-3 at the half time as
King rounded off some quick hands before McKenzie landed the simple conversion.
It was a similar story after the interval as experienced prop Craig Thomas ploughed over for a try which McKenzie goaled and then King claimed his second, again converted by McKenzie.
Rhys Lewis started another Fishguard move which eventually came to nought as Gowerton defended well but they had some consolation late on as Richard Hunter scored an unconverted try in a lively match that was well controlled by referee Simon Mills (Llanelli).
Fishguard & Goodwick: Gareth Adamson: Matthew George; Zac France-Miller; Dai Evans; Ed Bendall: Daf Evans; Rhodri Morgans: Adrian Squelch; Gavin Walsh; Gerwyn Davies: Gwilym Evans; Richard Hunter: Steve Jenkins; Rhys Lewis; Simon James (Capt). Replacements: Alun George; Ryan McVeigh; Mark James; mark George.
Gowerton: Luke Jones: Callum McKenzie; Gareth King; Gareth John; Lee Taylor: Rob John; Bleddyn James: Tom Gronow; Johnny Rees; Craig Thomas: Martin Cherry; Lee Bradley: Paul Hennessey; Ben Rees; Ryan Thomas (Capt). Replacements: Rhys Thomas; Dan Jones; Chris Jones; Barry Charles.
Referee: Simon Mills (Llanelli)
Championship:
Pooler pounce for welcome win
Pontypool 31 - Narberth 16 
Narberth’s hopes of a double over former top-class side Pontypool were scuppered at Pontypool Park as the home side gained ample revenge for the 24-11 loss they endured at the Lewis Lloyd Ground.
More importantly for Pooler, they kept the Otters in fourth place and now sit just one point behind them in the table, albeit having played one game more.
The teams shared six points in the first quarter as centre Clayton Gullis landed two Pontypool penalties and fly half Ianto Griffiths did the same for Narberth. The home side claimed the first try when winger Josh Hurley rounded off a good move but some typical opportunism by Otters’ full back Johnny Morgan earned them a try which Griffiths goaled to nudge them 13-11 in front.
Gullis and Griffiths again swapped penalties to leave Narberth 16-14 ahead at the oranges but then Gullis kicked Pooler into a lead they were not to lose again.
Replacement flanker Luke Dyckhoff, who is the club captain, scored a try alongside another for replacement centre Mike Burke and with Gullis landing both conversions the Otters lost their fourth match out of 20 so far.
Johnny Morgan - scored Narberth's only try at Pontypool Park
Division Three (West):
Seasiders scoop bonus-point success
Tenby United 27 - Pontyberem 11
But Tenby were still in charge throughout the match as they led 14-3 at half time and although they weren’t at their scintillating best were able to play some good rugby as hooker Wesley Bonser caught the eye with his all-action performance that earned him the man of the match label.
The Seasiders took the lead after seven minutes when they were awarded a penalty try which Lloyd Thomas converted – and after Nico Setaro had kicked a penalty for Pontyberem it was No 10 Thomas who sliced through for a quality try and his second Seasiders’ conversion.
Setaro slotted his second penalty early in the second half but it was soon cancelled out by a similar effort from replacement fly half Jonathan Rogers before Pat Roberts added an unconverted try as reward for his terrific work in the Tenby back row.
Winger Jimmy Davies scored the Seasiders’ fourth try and although James McFarlane went over for a Pontyberem try it was far too little, too late to stop the Seasiders winning their 11th match, alongside two draws, in 15 starts.
Pat Roberts - try for Tenby United flanker
Good away win for Teifisiders
Llandeilo 16 - Cardigan 24
Cardigan gained revenge for a narrow home defeat against Llandeilo as they made the return trip and came away with a deserved 24-16 victory which included a welcome bonus point. Another plus point for the Teifisiders was the play of youth players Sion Edwards and Sion Owens, the former showing good composure at fly half whilst Owens produced a rampaging performance in the back row that earned him a brace of tries and the ‘man of the match’ tag.But it was outside centre Emyr Harries who opened the Cardis’ account with a good try which Iestyn Crompton, playing at full back, converted before Owens pounced for his first five points.
Lampeter fought back with a penalty from full back Owen Roberts in the 36th minute and then home No 8 Dan Thomas ploughed over for an unconverted try on half time that reduced Cardigan’s interval lead to 12-8.
Owens scored his second try, converted by Crompton, and although Lampeter managed two more penalties from replacement centre Josh Archer it was the Teifisiders who had the final word when No 8 Llyr Griffiths claimed the all-important fourth try, converted by Crompton, which not only made victory certain but gave his team that bonus point!
Emyr Harries - opened the scoring for Cardigan
Division Four (West):
Mariners concede another ‘ton’
Lampeter 106 - Milford Haven 0
Milford Haven suffered the indignity of another defeat by over 100 points as they travelled to Lampeter and conceded 16 tries against a team which was in third place and had already won by 78-7 at The Observatory Field.
The Mariners could only muster 15 players and the writing was on the wall by half time as they trailed 41-0, despite some yeoman work by skipper Mike Cockburn and Andrew Ling up front, with Thomas Manning also playing well until he had to leave the field with a shoulder injury.
Strong running centre Celyn Lewis led the Lampeter scoring with four tries whilst co-centre Gethin Roberts, winger Kyle Ward and No 8 Bryn Jones claimed a hat-trick apiece alongside others from winger Gethin Griffiths and outside half Huw Thomas, who scored two tries and slotted 13 conversions for a personal haul of 36 points in a one-sided affair.
Division Six (West):
Blaenau 10 - St Davids 5
St Davids battled really hard at Blaenau as they travelled with a bare 15 men and were reduced to 13 players at the finish as they had a player injured and another yellow-carded.
The Saints were 10-5 adrift at half time and they had chances to snatch the verdict but were unable to turn pressure into points, as were the home side.
Blaenau started the better as full back Neil Fletcher missed two penalties before he notched a third attempt – and then added the extra points to a nicely-conceived try by No 8 Cerith Kilburn
But with Adam Cawley probing well as he played on permit from Neyland, the Saints grabbed an unconverted try by talented young second row Ryan John, their other ‘guest’ from Llangwm.
The Saints pushed hard for a win to go with their home 28-14 success against Blaenau but it was the homesters who held on for victory as the Saints had to settle for a bonus point.