Haverfordwest flanker Daryan Edwards claims a try
Feature Match:
Division Three A (West):
Leaders Blues storm to Bishop Cup win
Haverfordwest 45 - Llangwm 0
Haverfordwest made it maximum points from their opening three matches after the disappointment of relegation last campaign, running in no fewer than seven tries against old rivals Llangwm whilst maintain a clean score-sheet despite the Wasps’ battling performance.
Perhaps unluckiest for Llangwm was centre Andrew Brock, who intercepted a second-half floated pass and looked likely to speed unopposed, only to be recalled for a Blues’ penalty, whilst Ian Griffiths, Aled Morgan and James Lewis tackled fearlessly alongside full back Carwyn Morgan and second row Dan Chesmer.
Haverfordwest were 14-0 ahead at half time, thanks to tries by winger Scott Candler and influential scrum half Richard James, both converted by outside half Mikey Jones.
Good second half restart for Blues
Candler grabbed his second try at the start of the second half and quick handling put Luke Harvatt in the corner for Mikey Jones to add a superb conversion.
A clever chip ahead by James saw flanker Daryan Edwards claim a touchdown and although Jones missed the conversion he quickly created the space for Danny Morgan to speed through for a try which Jones converted.
Harvatt claimed his second try late in the match and Jones added the extra points with the last kick of an absorbing clash which almost already made certain that the visitors would hold on to the Bishop Cup, competed for annually by the two teams.
Haverfordwest: Danny Morgan: Lawrence Hancock; Dane Pindare; David O’Leary; Scott Candler: Mikey Jones; Richard James: Huw Edwards; Jamie Zambas; Terry Lovell: Gareth Phillips (Capt); Mike Griffiths: Daryan Edwards; Dan John; Richard Walters. Replacements: Sam Whitby; Lee Summons; Dan Richards; Luke Harvatt.
Llangwm: Carwyn Morgan: Rhys Cooper; Andrew Brock; Josh Hicks; Mark Brimmacombe: Matthew Davies; Rhys Mason: Dan Hughes; Dai Owen (Capt); Gavin Barnard: Nick Phillips; Dan Chesmer: Ian Griffiths; James Lewis; Aled Morgan. Replacements: Dan Morgan; Dafydd Bowen; James Gardener.
Referee Matthew Evans signals a try for Haverfordwest full back Danny Morgan
Championship:
Johnny helps Otters claim season’s first success
Glynneath 12 - Narberth 20
Two tries by flying winger Johnny Morgan helped Narberth gain their first win of the season and leap-frog over opponents Glynneath as their reward for a committed all-round performance.
It was Morgan, switched from full back for this fixture, who scored the only try of a tight first half after a superb break from scrum half Rhys Lane took him from his own half to within the shadow of the home posts.
When he was held up he managed to find Morgan showing typical support and he crossed the whitewash for Ianto Griffiths to convert.
Other than that, chances were few and far between, other than a missed penalty kick apiece for Griffiths and opposite number Chris Moore.
Otters respond well
Glynneath made the better start to the second half with an unconverted try by right-winger Jordan Griffiths – but the Otters responded well with a neatly dropped goal and penalty from Griffiths and Morgan made the home side pay for not shutting him down as he finished off a slick handling move involving full back Scott James, converted by Griffiths.Glynneath had the final word with a late consolation try be replacement prop David Jones, converted by Moore, but it was too little too late, and the Otters must now gear themselves up for an even greater challenge next Saturday as Swansea are the visitors to the Lewis Lloyd Ground!
Johnny Morgan - two tries for the speedy Narberth winger
Division One:
Zac seals bonus-point victory for Borderers
Gowerton 15 - Whitland 27
A try by Zac France-Miller earned Whitland an excellent bonus point win at Gowerton which moved them out of the bottom two in the table and showed that they are well capable of completing at this level as an excellent all-round performance produced this result, with back-row man France-Miller joining flanker Rhydian Davies and centre Aled Jones giving stand-out displays.
It was scrum half Daf Evans, who was captaining the side, who gave the Borderers the early lead as he sniped over for a try which half back partner Nico Setaro converted, as he did when outstanding centre Jonathan Thomas sliced through.
Glynneath responded with a try from centre Gareth John which Josh Hamer converted to go with a penalty but the Borderers had the final word before half time as an unconverted try by pacy winger Sean Coles gave his side a 19-10 lead.
Setaro added a further three points from a penalty on resumption and France-Miller made the game safe as well as picking up that bonus point and although Gowerton had the final word with an unconverted try by scrum half Barry James it was Whitland who were definitely good value for victory and looking forward to a home tussle against Gorseinon this weekend!
Preseli Men power to decisive home win
Crymych 32 - Gorseinon 12
Crymych were on top almost from start to finish as they beat a physically-strong Gorseinon team at Parc Lloyd Thomas to stay in the top four in the section table.
The Preseli Men were 13 points ahead in the first period and although Gorseinon scored first after the oranges with a try by No 8 Liam Haycock, converted by centre Rhys Roberts, they had to wait until the closing moments before the homesters took their foot off the pedal and allowed Gorseinon a second try, this time unconverted, by winger Liam Popham.
Sam Phillips had given Crymych the lead with a penalty before full-back Carwyn Jones scored their first try and scrum half Luke Rogers notched the conversion and a penalty before the break.
Strong-running centre Morgan Griffiths claimed a try brace for the Preseli Men and flanker Tom Powell also crossed as reward for his support work and further points came from a second conversion by Rogers alongside a penalty by Phillips – and now Crymych face a tough Pembrokeshire derby at Tenby United as their next challenge!
Seasiders take a day off
Loughor v Tenby United (match postponed)
** Called off by mutual consent – to be replayed later in the season)
Division Two (West):
Depleted Seagulls pay the price!
Pontyberem 35 - Fishguard & Goodwick 14
Fishguard & Goodwick travelled to defend their 100% start to the season without several key players like skipper Simon James unavailable and paid the inevitable price as they lost at Pontyberem – with influential scrum half Rhys Williams another unable to travel because he damaged his shoulder at home in the morning!
Yet the Seagulls showed they have little to fear in this section as they were only 18-9 adrift at half time and then had an unconverted try from outstanding flanker Chris Shousha, who played well alongside Rhys Lewis and Daniel Jenkins in a tireless back row.
But they allowed Pontyberem back into contention and conceded late points that didn’t really do justice to their part in the match.
James Griffiths notched three first-half penalties for Fishguard but former Narberth flanker Wayne Williams used his experience to good effect for the home side, scoring a try alongside the equally influential Mike Sauro and his brother Daniel, who came on a sub, wingers Andrew Kirkbride and Rhodri Lewis.
Mike Sauro also landed two conversions and two penalties and his side go second with three wins from as many matches, whilst the Seagulls will look to regroup as they play host to Penclawdd this Saturday.
Division Three A (West):
Cardis crush struggling Saints
Cardigan 64 - St Davids 7
Cardigan moved into third place in the table by dint of this crushing win over a St Davids’ team which never gave up trying but in the final analysis was unable to match the Teifisiders up front and were already in trouble by the interval as they trailed by 40-7.
Man of the match for Cardigan was flanker Sion Hughes, who was always in the thick of the action and grabbed two tries along a brace for right winger Llyr Jones, plus others by second Rob Connolly, centre Emyr Hughes, full back Alun Jenkins, prop Tomos Evans, flanker Gethin Jones and left winger Sion Jones, seven of them goaled by No 10 Iestyn Crompton.
Fraser Watson scored the Saints’ only try as he took a quick tapped penalty near the 22 and sliced through for a solo try, converted by half back partner Daf Williams, as No 8 Anthony ‘Ianto’ Griffiths was the Saints’ key player with his terrific work-rate throughout in defence.
Mariners centre Dean Matthews crashes over for a try
Rusinek helps Mariners maintain their unbeaten run
Neyland 17 - Milford Haven 42
Milford Haven’s fly half Ian Rusinek helped the Mariners to a played three, won three, record as he claimed a personal haul of 22 points in their excellent away win over Neyland, who battled hard until the final whistle but are still seeking their first success of the campaign.
Rusinek cut through for two tries in the first half, with a penalty try sandwiched neatly in between, and added all three conversions – but the All Blacks responded with a try from outside half Jonathan Lloyd which Patrick Bellerby converted to go with a penalty that saw his team trail 10-21 at half time.
Adam Rees added the Mariners’ fourth try soon after the restart but injured his shoulder in the process, with Rusinek again adding the extras, as he did when Dean Matthews ploughed his way over the line at the posts after good work in the build up by man of the match in co-centre Dan Jenkins.
Veteran centre Adam Collins scored a try for the All Blacks, converted by Bellerby, but the mariners had the final word back rower Sam Dolling scored a try and Rusinek slotted his sixth conversion to keep Milford in second place, just a point behind leaders Haverfordwest.
Neyland outside Jonathan Lloyd touches down underneath the posts
13-man Quins hold on for victory against neighbours Scarlets
Pembroke Dock Harlequins 24 - Pembroke 18
Fortunes ebbed and flowed thereafter but with 30 minutes left the homesters had front rowers Sean Willington and Neil Brace shown red cards – and with minutes remaining they were holding on for dear life at 19-18 but then Jack Price powered over for his second try and although Lewis Davies missed the conversion the Quins had a measure of revenge for defeats by the Scarlets over the past two seasons – and the visitors had to settle for a bonus point.
It was Price who gave the Quins the early advantage as he pounced with real intent on a clever chip over the Pembroke line – and then a quickly taken penalty by Quins’ scrum half Elliott Lewis saw full back Damian Miller cross at the posts for an excellent try which Davies converted.
Miller added his second try before the break, converted by Davies, but Pembroke fought back to trail by only 15-19 as Will Edwards, Steve Dyde, Kyle Wetherall and Barry John led their counter-offensive so that so that Rhys Johns and Jamie Brayford scored tries alongside a conversion and penalty by Liam Price.
In a tense second half, Price was again on target with a penalty but the Scarlets also missed another chance of their first win of the season – and were made to pay the price as the Quins also pocketed a bonus point for four tries and the visitors had a single point for getting within seven points of the opposition’s score!
