PHOTO:
Fraser Watson scores the winning try for St Davids
Picture by Ceri Colemen Phillips
Division Three (West) A:
Saints hold on to complete the double
St Davids 17 - Llangwm 12
The basement battle between St Davids and Llangwm went to the wire before the Saints claimed a narrow win after a fiercely competitive battle.
The game was played in high winds and heavy rain, but despite playing against the elements in the first half, it was the Saints who took the lead when full back Fraser Watson chipped ahead for flanker Scott Riches to hack on and score.
The Wasps then piled on the pressure but could not turn field position into points, and they paid the price when a move broke down in midfield and home centre Dafydd Williams kicked ahead, before centre Scott James took over and dribbled to the line to score. Outside half Jack Jones converted well in the wind.
But at 12-0 down, Llangwm gave themselves hope before the break when a series of forward drives saw flanker Rhys Mason, who later switched to scrum half, power over for a try and centre Luke Brock added the extras.
And straight after the interval The Wasps were level when winger Daniel Morgan rounded off an overlap with a good try in the corner.
With the elements in their favour The Saints then camped in the Llangwm 22, but amidst some superb defence, were unable to breakthrough until the dying minutes when Watson went over in the corner after being set up by centre Rhys Owen Price.
Still the Wasps had time to respond and No 8 Ian Griffiths and impressive hooker Aled Morgan both surged towards the line in the game’s final play, but as centre Andrew Brock then also went close, the ball was spilled forward and the home side hung on.
The Wasps did at least pick up their first bonus point of the season while The Saints, for whom second row Gethin Bateman and hooker Neil Thomas stood out, now have three league wins to their name.
Championship:
Super Otters stifle students
Cardiff Met 26 - Narberth 32
A Ianto Griffiths’ penalty opened the Otters account before he was injured and James Stephenson took over his place and kicking duties – but the Students skipper and prop Will Norton ploughed through for a try which Tyler Williams converted.
Lyndon Bateman scored Narberth’s first try in the far corner, Stephenson converting well, but the lead was short-lived because Mets’ scrum half Miles Churcher sniped through and Norton added the extras.
Back came the Otters with tries from wingers Jordan Roberts and Liam Hutchings, both converted by Stephenson to ease the visitors into a 24-14 interval lead.
It was a similar story after the break as the students bounced back with tries from hooker Ryan Roach and replacement Huw Alexander, the first converted by Williams, which saw them nudge the score to 26-24 in their favour.
The Otters needed a spark and it was provided by replacement Nick Gale, who grabbed a snap dropped goal from almost 40 metres as his contribution to edge his team a point ahead.
Then Steve Martin, another who can inspire the team, added a late unconverted try – and the Otters moved into the top half of this very tough league as reward for sticking to the task!
Liam Hutchings - scored a try for Narberth in Cardiff
Division One (West):
Preseli Men fall just short
Crymych 3 - Loughor 8
Crymych went down to a narrow defeat from their home match against Loughor and will reflect on missed chances and taking of wrong options in the second half, after defending well into the wind during a tight first period.
In that time they had restricted Loughor to a try by winger Lawrence Headlam and a penalty by Anthony Pompa so revenge for a 29-24 defeat at Loughor, the opposition’s only success so far this campaign, seemed well on the cards.
Crymych scrum half Luke Rogers then raised their hopes with an early penalty but from then on a mixture of stout defence and basic errors in the challenging conditions left the Preseli Men with no further points and the slight consolation of a bonus point for being within seven points of the opposition – but this would have been a match that the Crymych management would have targeted as a real chance of victory!
Borderers well beaten by ‘One Eye-Lid’
Waunarlwydd 34 - Whitland 17
Waunarlwydd gained a deserved home win over Whitland after being 17-10 up at the interval and fending off a typically gritty counter-offensive by the Borderers after the oranges to secure the spoils.Known affectionately to clubs in Pembrokeshire as ‘One Eye-lid’, the homesters had edged through by 28-24 at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn and things looked likely to follow the same patters at Waun led 17-10 at half time thanks to tries by winger Jordan Clayfield, outside half Jamie Moore and flanker Sean Evans, one converted by winger Lee Evans.
The Borderers responded with a Nico Setaro penalty and his conversion of an interesting try by second row Raff Williams, who was quickest to react to a ball which rebounded off the upright.
Waun started the second half in style with further tries by winger Allan Pope and Lee Evans, who converted his own score before centre Stuart Nicholls grabbed their sixth score.
Whitland had the final say when replacement winger Ryan Davies scored his first try for the club and Setaro duly converted – but it was a case of too little, too late as Llangennech remain the top five as their reward.
Raff Williams - try for Whitland's second row in defeat at Waunarlwydd
Slow starting Seasiders miss out again
Tenby 15 - Llangennech 25
The Seasiders strengthened their pack with the return of Roy Osborn and Jason Ronowitz but Llangennech’s early surges were rewarded by unconverted tries by prop Jamie Hughes and outside half Kieran Thomas before winger Jordan Dunne sped through for their third try, which Thomas converted to put his team 17-0 up.
Ronowitz reduced the deficit with an unconverted try to raise the Seasiders' supporters’ hopes but although Llangennech had Phil White red-carded they still managed a fourth try before half time when scrum half Ifan Beynon-Thomas ensured a bonus point for four tries.
Tenby’s skipper Rob Weston led by example with a good try that Tom ‘Turbo’ Lewis converted before adding a well-struck penalty.
But Llangennech had the final word with a Kieron Thomas penalty that finally killed off the Seasiders’ hopes and gave the away side the double since they had edged home by 39-36 in Llangennech after the Seasiders had fought back but just missed out in the fixture.
PHOTO:
Jordan Asparassa drives forward for Tenby
Picture by Susan McKehon
Division Two (West):
Seagulls seal double success
Fishguard & Goodwick 19 - Tregaron 6
The Seagulls had won 52-13 in Tregaron on the opening day of the season but there was little realistic chance of a repeat win by such a margin in the prevailing conditions, and their only first half score was an unconverted try by livewire flanker Chris Shousha as Tregaron outside half Llinos Jones slotted two penalties to give his side a 6-5 interval lead.
With the wind at their back Fishguard were unable to assert an advantage in the third quarter but a good try by second row Rhys Lewis, after good work by skipper Simon James, Gerwyn Davies, Owain Morgans and Andrew Morrillo, was converted by James Griffiths.
Then powerful centre Ben John crashed over the line and Griffiths again converted – but good defence and the taking of wrong options prevented the Seagulls from scoring a fourth try and pouching a bonus point so they had to settle for a fourth win of the season as Tregaron were left still seeking success after ten starts!
Rhys Lewis - good try in Fishguard's win over Tregaron
Division Three (West) A:
Blues too streetwise for young Scarlets
Pembroke 5 - Haverfordwest 21
With Milford Haven and Cardigan inactive, Haverfordwest moved back to the top of the table after beating a talented young Pembroke outfit by 21-5 at Crickmarren.
The Blues were 11-0 up at half time, despite yeoman work from Johnny Palmer Seamus Wiseman, Jamie Brayford and Will Edwards in the Scarlet pack, as winger Darren Salmon scored an interception try and although Mikey Jones missed the conversion he notched two penalties before the interval in difficult conditions.
For the Blues, Lee Summons and Jones tried to set up a platform on the back of hard work from the likes of Terry Lovell, Ashley George, Ashley Mathias, Ryan Banner and the rest of the visiting eight – and further unconverted tries were claimed by prop Lovell and flanker Mikey Griffiths.
Play was held up for a while to treat Mathias and Brown and the Scarlets scored their only try from second row Will Edwards, who was adjudged the Pembroke man of the match by the sponsors from the Cresswell Quay. Coach Geraint Lewis was pleased by his young charges’ efforts against a good Blues’ team which again has its sights on promotion after this challenging tussle.
PHOTO:
Pembroke drive forward against The Blues
All Blacks bag an excellent win
St Clears 27 - Neyland 29
This entertaining match was tied at 17-all at the half way stage and fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout before the All Blacks not only won their fourth match of the season but picked up a bonus point for scoring four tries.
The All Black try scorers were prop Luke Dawes, winger Ben Goodridge, flanker Craig Grice and winger Josh Morgan, whilst pivot Patrick Hannon, who had another good game in the No 10 shirt, knocked over three conversions and a penalty.
The St Clears’ scorers were sadly not available!