Sheer delight as Steff Phillips scores for Narberth
Championship:
Otters battle back for big win
Narberth 24 - RGC 1404 22
Narberth had to call upon the last shreds of their commitment to win this entertaining encounter at the Lewis-Lloyd Ground against the North Wales-based RGC 1404 as they trailed by 15 p
oints after ten minutes.The Otters could not have made a more awful start as RGC took the kick off, there was a careless knock-on by a Narberth forward, fly half Rhodri Carlton Jones fed Danny Cross and the centre brushed aside a weak tackle to score at the posts in only 18 SECONDS!
Things went from terrible to dire as winger Carwyn ap Myrddin added a second score in eight minutes and although he missed the conversion he quickly made amends with a penalty.
Otters claw their way back into contention
It could have been a landslide score but Narberth regrouped well and after 30 minutes the efforts of Adam Clark, Steff Phillips, Alex Jenkins and the rest of their pack got up such a head of steam that a try came from No 8 Steffan Phillips, followed by a second on half time, this time for flanker Stuart Worrall, who was tireless alongside Gareth Bateman, Tom Slater, Dan Smith and Ollie Evans.Lead changes hands
Ianto Griffiths finally found his kicking boots to slot a second half penalty and then Nico Setaro scored his first try for the Otters from a cracking move into the left corner initiated by Ollie Evans.
There was a lengthy day for an injury to an RGC player and the North Walians took the lead following the restart with a try by second row Meredydd Francis which Carlton-Jones converted.
But the Otters’ pack kept plugging away and they were rewarded as Griffiths landed two more penalties – and the homesters were just about good value for victory!
Narberth: Jonathan Morgan: Nick Gale; Steve Martin; Ianto Griffiths; Lawrence Headlam: Nico Setaro; Rhys Lane: Ollie Evans; Dan Smith; Tom Slater: Adam Clark; Alex Jenkins: Gareth Bateman; Stuart Worrall; Steffan Phillips. Replacements: Owen Jordan; Nathan Williams; Lewis Wood; Carwyn Thomas; Luke Rogers.
RGC 1404: James Lang: Tom Blackwell; Danny Cross; Afon Bagshaw; Carwyn ap Myrddin: Rhodri Carlton-Jones; Alex Schwartz: Leon Crump; Andrew Baston; James Jones: Meredydd Francis; Bryn Williams: Tallis Karaitiana; Huw Worthington; Kelvin Davies (Capt). Replacements: Tom Hughes; Luke Williams; Shaun O’Rourke; Cameron Davies; Tom Seddon.
Referee: Jon Mason.
Stuart Worrall also scores for the Otters
Division One (West):
Crymych find it hard going
Crymych 8 - Kidwelly 34
Crymych continue to find it hard going as they suffered a home defeat against Kidwelly where they trailed 17-3 at half time and rarely looked likely to make a comeback as the visitors had the better of the set-pieces and were rewarded with a bonus point as they scored four tries to the Preseli Men’s one.
Yet it was Crymych who opened the scoring with a Rhys Davies penalty but Kidwelly responded with tries from winger Luke Marshall and prop Berian Watkins, both converted by outside half Steffan Marshall, who also added a penalty.
The Preseli Men claimed their only try after the break as hooker Carwyn Rees rounded off a well-controlled catch and drive – but Kidwelly grabbed further tries from winger Adam Davies and centre Darren Latham, both converted by the accurate Steffan Marshall.
Seasiders stun Llan with brilliant fight-back
Llangennech 27 - Tenby United 29
Tenby United showed why they are top of the section table as they made a superb come-back against sixth-placed Llangennech to turn a 27-10 deficit into a final scoreline of 29-27 in the Seasiders’ favour.
Things certainly looked dodgy for Tenby as winger Gethin Long opened Llan’s account with an unconverted try and after Jonathan Rogers had cut the deficit with a Tenby penalty there were further tries from flanker Chris Strict and centre Rhys Davies as Chris Moore converted one and was on target with a penalty and all Tenby could muster in response was a Mark Heywood try which Rogers converted.
Llangennech also started the second period will as Steve Hewitt sliced through for a try which Moore converted – but great work by the Seasiders’ pack saw Luke Dedman score and Rogers converted – and Rogers added another seven points from a quickly-taken tap penalty which allowed him to reach the line and add the extras.
Ashley Sutton, Luke Hansford, Toby Smith, Heywood and Damien Miller caught the eye with some great work in a team effort and it was Miller who proved to be the hero of the hour as he sped through for a solo try and then made a vital tackle from behind to prevent what looked like a certain home score – and the Seasiders maintained top spot and their unbeaten record so far!
Borderers bag a welcome first win
Whitland 20 - Amman United 15
After three successive defeats, all by narrow margins, Whitland finally bounced back with a deserved victory over Amman United at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn as they hauled themselves back from a 3-15 deficit with 17 unanswered points in the final quarter.
It was nerve-jangling stuff that had their hardy band of supporters on the edge of their seats as unforced errors and a lack of killer instinct in some areas from the Borderers gave Amman United several chances of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Amman make good use of the wind
Amman United played with the wind in the first half and took the lead with a penalty by scrum half Joel Foster which was eventually cancelled out by a similar effort by Borderers’ No 10 Johnny Thomas to round off a good period where Will Davies posed a threat from full back and Jack Mason was outstanding up front alongside the experienced Raff Williams and teenager Cyle Williams.
But the Borderers were unable to turn further pressure into points and paid the price when Amman centre Rhys Thomas made a break and Stuart Herbert scored a try which Foster converted.
It was a similar story after the oranges as Whitland played quite well but lost possession at key times – and they were again punished as Amman skipper Gavin Lewis made a lovely little break in midfield and winger Jonathan Bevan scored a corner try.
Borderers back with a bang
Will Davies and James Criddle combined to send man of the match Jack Mason over from 20 metres out and Thomas converted before adding a late dropped goal to put his team five points ahead.
But careless errors gave Amman hope and seemed to raise the tension in both camps - and the game ended on a sour note as a mass brawl involved not only players from both teams over a sustained period but others on the touch-line as well.
When referee Justin Williams finally regained control he showed a red card and two yellows to Amman and a yellow to the Borderers, reversed the penalty decision originally awarded to the visitors and Whitland kicked to touch to end a prolonged second half and give them their first win.
Whitland: Will Davies: James Criddle; Scott Newton; Lee Glanville; Sean Coles: Johnny Thomas; Dafydd Evans: Andrew Howells; Marc Jones (Copt); Jamie Styles: Daf Walters; Dai Ebsworth: Raff Williams; Cyle Weatherall; Jack Mason. Replacements: Liam Price; Andrew Jenkins; Danny Evans; Lawrence Halgrave; Gethin Lewis.
Amman United: Gavin Lewis (Capt): Stuart Herbert; Liam Smith; Rhys Thomas; Jonathan Bevan: Rhys Williams: Joel Foster: Thomas Davies; Douglas Jenkins; Liam Mangan: Matthew Wrigley; Gavin Elliott: Sean Morgan; Alun Lewis; Craig Ratcliff. Replacements: Jason Williams; Matthew Madge; Christian Gregory; Stuart Davies; Matthew Brayley.
Referee: Justin Williams
Whitland's teenaged try scorer Cyle Weatherall
Joel Foster gets the ball away for Amman United
Division Two (West):
Blues without a fixture
Tycroes v Haverfordwest
Match postponed – Tycroes involved in a rearranged
Swalec Competition match
Cardigan still struggle at the foot of the table
Penlan 35 - Cardigan 3
Cardigan remain firmly rooted at the foot of the table as they suffered their fourth league defeat in as many matches, this time against fourth-placed Penlan led 14-3 at the interval and stayed firmly in control thereafter.
Arwyn Wilson landed a 13th minute penalty for the Teifisiders but they were already seven points adrift because scrum half Bobby Scrine had already scored a try which his half back partner Steve Davies goaled, as he did when No 9 Scrine sniped away for his second try.
Penlan opened their second-half account with a try by right wing Dafydd Pritchard, followed by a third try for the Scrine family as No 8 Ian followed his brother onto the try sheet, as did outside centre Steve Williams.
All three were converted by Steve Davies as Penlan celebrated their third win in four matches as the Teifisiders still seek their first point.
Division Three (West) B:
Mariners gain deserved local derby success
Milford Haven 31 - Neyland 20
Player/coach Mark Wonnacott certainly led by example and joined winger Craig Thomas and centre Ben Johnson in scoring those early Mariners’ tries, one converted by full back Lee Riley, but Neyland showed their fighting spirit by reducing the deficit to only seven points by the interval with a typically robust try by centre Adam Collins which was converted by Mark Riley to go with a penalty.
And the visitors drew level after the oranges as busy winger Darren John powered over and Riley added the extra points before the Mariners regained the lead with a hotly-disputed penalty try which Lee Riley converted.
Mark Riley kicked three points for Neyland as they strove to stay in contention but James Passmore bulldozed his way over for a try which Lee Riley converted to set the seal on a match in which second row Tom Manning received the Milford man of the match plaudits and John Morgan showed there is still rugby life at 47 years of age as he played well at scrum half for the Mariners!
Milford's outstanding player/coach Mark Wonnacott and 47 year old scrum half John Morgan.
Picture: Sheila Witts Sear.
Pembroke hooker Max Howard is driven over the Quins’ line for a try
Smith double seals Scarlets’ success in local derby
Pembroke Dock Harlequins 5 - Pembroke 22
Pembroke took the lead with a penalty by Josh davies and they moved further in front when skipper Max Hayward was impelled over the line by his fellow forwards for Davies to add the extra points.
But the Quins hit back with an opportunist try by Nathan George as took a quickly tapped penalty, put in a little dummy and cross the line for an unconverted score which meant the Quins were only five points behind at half time.
The home side also battled hard after the break but the Scarlets scored a cracking try when former Quins’ player Elliott Lewis broke from his own 22 and the nippy scrum half provided the final pass for Sam Smith.
Smith also ploughed through from closer range and Davies converted to set the seal on a victory for the in-form team against battling underdogs in an entertaining match watched by over 400 supporters!
Outside half Josh Davies kicks a penalty for the Scarlets
James’ try quartet helps sinks struggling Saints
St Davids 10 - Fishguard 76
Fishguard scored 12 tries, four of them from No 8 Simon James, in this one sided tussle which saw them stay in top place with an unblemished record and condemned the Saints to still seek a point after another match where no-one could fault their effort.
The Saints were led by Rhys ‘Loshin’ Price and had Scott John back to help out but all they could muster was a good try from Jack Jones which John converted to go with a first-half penalty.
The Seagulls led 36-3 at the half way stage with tries coming at regular intervals from Simon James, flankers Gavin Walsh and Rhys Lewis, Sam Kurtz, plus twins Matthew and Mark George, three of them converted by outside half James Griffiths.
Richard Hunter was an unsung hero for Fishguard in the ball-winning stakes and after half time winger Matthew George added his second try, whilst others came from Simon James (3) and outside half James Griffiths (2), the No 10 adding five more conversions to give him a personal haul 26 points.
Wasps wilt against in-form Aber
Llangwm 0 - Aberaeron 45
Aberaeron played some excellent attacking rugby to pick up an unexpectedly comfortable win at Pill Parks against an out of sorts Llangwm side which trailed by 21 points at half time and didn’t manage to muster a single point of their own.
Deion Lloyd-Hughes played well for the Wasps against a well-drilled Aber side but it was always on the back foot as wingers Ivan Slinger and Kieran Etheridge joined outside half Jason Freeman in scoring tries for the visitors, converted by Freeman.
Other Aber scores came after half time from Tudur Jenkins, centre Ollie Sawyer and Gareth Henson, all converted by Freeman to go with a penalty as Aberaeron made the long journey home with maximum bonus points and fifth place in the table.