Championship:
Otters fail to teach students a lesson
Narberth 7 - Cardiff Mets 18
Narberth failed to impress against the students of Cardiff Metropolitan University as they trailed 18-7 at the break but failed to take advantage of the breeze in the second half, where neither team was able to add to their interval tally.
The Otters had won an exciting contest in Cardiff by 32-16 but rarely looked likely to make it a double after second row John George scored the opening try for the students, which was converted by centre Tom Morgan.
Morgan also notched two penalties but was unable to add the extra points when prop Ben Edwards crashed through for their second try.
Trailing by 18 points, The Otters managed to reduce the deficit before half time when Nick Gale sped up the right wing to score in the corner and did well to add the tricky conversion from near the touchline.
The Otters had the better of the second half exchanges in terms of territory but were unable to further break down the well-organised students’ defence and lost their 14th game in 22 outings to fall behind the students in ninth place in the section table.
Nick Gale - Narberth's only points scorer
Division One (West):
Crymych go close against promotion hopefuls
Crymych 12 - Kidwelly 16
Crymych pushed promotion hopefuls Kidwelly all the way but in the final analysis fell just short against a well-drilled side who took their chances when the opportunities came.Three penalties from Luke Marshall gave Kidwelly an interval lead of 9-0 lead and they also had a try by Gareth Rees after flanker Richard Sharp-Williams had responded for Crymych with a try converted by Rhys Davies.
Pacy winger Nick Bevan added a second score for the Preseli Men which went unconverted and they battled hard for a winning try but weren’t able to crack open Kidwelly’s defence for a third time.
Richard Sharp-Williams - try for Crymych flanker
Seasiders surrender first half lead
Felinfoel 34 - Tenby United 12
There were some worried faces at Felinfoel as the second-placed outfit was 5-12 adrift against a Tenby United side which belied their bottom-place status with some excellent all-round play.But the greater power of the home pack swung the game back in their favour and the Seasiders had to settle for second best, despite their efforts.
The Seasiders took the lead with a try by second row Luke Dedman which outside half Scott James converted but home flanker Elliot Rees reduced the deficit with an unconverted try before skipper Luke Hanford responded in similar fashion with a well-worked try.
But everything changed after the oranges as Felinfoel went back to basics and a try from No 8 Steff Phillips and a penalty try, both converted by Steffan Rees, put them ahead.
Phillips and Elliot Rees both added their second tries from close range, the first converted by Rees to keep Felinfoel firmly in second spot, whilst Tenby United are left still seeking that elusive first victory.
Borderers concede tries at key times
Whitland 10 - Loughor 15
Whitland went down to a disappointing defeat against Loughor, one of the two teams below them in the table and able to snatch victory with tries at key times.The Borderers trailed by 10-0 at the interval as they lost props Alun Proctor and Jamie Styles through injury early on, whilst Loughor had a penalty from Peter Smiriglia to open their account and then a try from pacy winger Lawrence Headlam which Smiriglia goaled.
Young No 8 Dewi Williams gave Whitland hope as he turned forward pressure into points with a try converted by Nico Setaro – but other chances went a begging and Headlam’s second try was a body blow for the Borderers.
Whitland assured themselves of a consolation bonus point, however, when they were awarded a penalty which Jonathan Thomas landed to take them within seven points of the opposition at the final whistle.
Dewi Williams - scored Whitland's only try
Division Two (West):
All square at The Moors
Fishguard 9 - Carmarthen Athletic 9
Defences were very much on top at The Moors as Fishguard and Carmarthen Athletic battled their way to a drab draw.The visitors had beaten the Seagulls by 22-0 in Carmarthen but it was the home side who led by 6-0 at half time, thanks to James Griffiths’ penalties on the back of some yeoman work by skipper Simon Hames and fellow back rower Mark George, who were selected as joint men of the match.
The Athletic fought back with two penalties on target from Scott Maynard before the Seagulls wasted a golden chance as they opted for several scrums in front of the Athletic’s posts but lost the platform when they conceded a careless strike against the head!
They were made to pay the price when the visitors rounded off an attack with a Maynard dropped goal but in the final moments a superb forward drive earned them a simple penalty and Griffiths’ third successful kick at least earned the Seagulls a share of the spoils!
James Griffiths - kicked all of Fishguard's points
Division Three (West) A:
Not plain sailing for Mariners after a good first half
Laugharne 29 - Milford Haven 31
At half time a clear-cut win seemed on the Cards for Milford Haven at Laugharne as they led 24-12, reinforced within minutes of the restart as they added a fifth try.
But they were rocked back by a Laugharne revival which might have earned them a draw but for a missed conversion from the last kick of the match!
The Mariners had tries from Craig Barnett, playing on permit from Haverfordwest, either side of a cracking try by flanker Sam Dolling, plus a good score by player/coach Mark Wonnacott, two of them converted by Jamie Lewis.
All Laugharne could muster in response were tries by Dorian Harries and Aled Rees, plus a Tom Jameson conversion.
Milford started the second half with a terrific try by centre Dan Jenkins, converted by Lewis, but then Laugharne fired their retro rockets and came back with scores from Steve Bevan and a second by Aled Rees, converted by Jameson before a last-ditch try by centre Mike Williams gave them hope of a draw.
But the conversion was wide so Laugharne had to settle for two bonus points whilst the Mariners crossed back into Pembrokeshire with a full haul of five points!
Depleted Scarlets too strong for All Blacks
Neyland 14 - Pembroke 36
Pembroke crossed the Cleddau Bridge to take on old rivals Neyland minus several key players but were still able to complete the double as coach Geraint Lewis was able to call on talented youngsters to fill the gaps.The Scarlets had won 72-14 at home to the All Blacks but there was no chance of a repeat scoreline as Neyland showed how much they have come on since then and their reward for a great deal of effort was tries by winger Ben Goodridge and prop Luke Dawes, both converted by Patrick Bellerby.
Talented teenager Lewys Gibby again featured at scrum half for the Scarlets alongside other youngsters like Lloyd Davies, Danny James and Craig Williams as they raced into the lead thanks to tries from wingers James Skeels and Barry John, and prop Jamie Braford, two of them converted by Toby Smith.
Neyland responded with Goodridge’s score and they added their second by Dawes after forward pressure – but The Scarlets ran in further tries from flanker Dom Colman, converted by Smith, flanker Will Edwards and a second for Barry John to round off another good day for Pembroke as they continue to move up the table.
Barry John - two tries for Pembroke
Miller shines as Quins dominate
St Clears 17 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 68
Pembroke Dock Quins showed how strong a team they are when at full strength as they over-ran St Clears, running in ten tries whilst conceding just one to the luckless Saints, who earlier in the season had won 15-10 in the reverse fixture at Bierspool!The Saints managed a first-half try from No 8 Dafydd Walters , converted by Chris Rodenhurst, but at the break they had already leaked 40 points from tries by second row Martin Culley, flanker Stefan Halwood and winger Jake Griffiths alongside a hat-trick from full back Damien Miller, who posed a significant threat whilst working with Jack Price.
Lewis Davies slotted five conversions and added another four in the second half as the Quins had further tries from Miller again, centre Thomas Doyle, hooker and skipper Neil Brace and young flanker Harry Owen.
Quins’ coach Ossie Boswell was pleased with his team’s determination to use possession well but to be fair to St Clears, they never gave up trying and they had tries from veteran prop Andy Deacon and flanker Matthew Davies as reward for their part in an entertaining tussle!
Damien Miller - four tries for Quins' full back
Cardis retain title interest
St Davids 10 - Cardigan 61
The Division Three (West) A title race is set to go down to the wire after Cardigan recorded a bonus point win at St Davids.The Teifisiders now trail Haverfordwest by a single point with two games left to play – and the sides still have to meet at Merlins Bridge on April 23rd.
On Saturday they led early on after a lineout drive saw prop Tomos Evans grab a try that centre Iestyn Crompton converted – but the Saints struck back immediately when centre Fraser Watson took a quick tap penalty and sliced through from halfway to score.
Cardigan full back Alun Jenkins then jinked over and prop Will Bryce struck from another lineout drive, both converted by Crompton – but the home side, who gave debuts to four players, again responded when hooker Neil Thomas grounded the ball after a rolling maul.
The Teifisiders had the final word of the half when replacement front rower Ben Hughes crossed from close range to make it 26-10 – and straight after the break Crompton went under the posts for a try he converted.
The greater power of the visitors told in the final stages as No 8 Llyr Griffiths (2), flanker Kieran Hurley, and Jenkins again added further tries – with replacement Llyr Jones adding four conversions.
It meant the Saints rounded off the season on a losing note – but coach Mathew ‘Taff’ Williams could take plenty of positives in the commitment of his young side, with outside half Mathew Bennett and young No 8 Caz Price amongst those to shine.