Knockout Cup Semi-Final:

 



 

Preseli Men down Seagulls to reach final

 

Fishguard & Goodwick 6 - Crymych 17

 

(Pictures: Gwenan Davies)

 

Crymych arte through to this season’s KO Cup Final after this hard-fought victory over a gritty Fishguard & Goodwick side at The Moors to claim their place on the big day against The Narberth Development Squad.

 

Both teams tried to play constructive rugby but in the testing conditions of heavy pitch and even heavier rain continuity was always going to be a problem and in the final analysis it was the greater experience of The Preseli Men at a higher level that paid dividends as they scored three tries and limited The Seagulls to just two successful penalties – and a further boost came when youth team players Jac Delaney and skipper Iestyn Wood came on to make their first-team debuts.

 

Leading the way for Crymych was skipper Carwyn Phillips, now playing in the centre as opposed to the back row, and scoring two of those three scores as he was still able to support his pack from lineout catch and drives.

 

Veteran No 8 Simon James played the whole of the match for the home side and put in some typical graft in the second row in a pack where the back row of Sion Colella, Rhys Lewis and skipper Chris Shousha joined the rest of the pack in tackling themselves to a stand-still as Gavin Walsh returned as hooker and behind the scrum James Griffiths, Sion Rowlands and Creegan Foot tried in vain to secure scoring chances.

 

In a tight first half Crymych served notice of interest of intent as half backs Dafydd and Ifan Phillips kicked well in support of their forwards as Rhydian Howells, Dafydd Gibby and Llyr Evans won good ball on the ground – and they took the lead when Carwyn Phillips burst over from a driving maul for a try and Adam Phillips converted.

 

The Seagulls battled hard in response but despite all their considerable efforts all they had to show was a brace of successful penalties from centre James Griffiths before Carwyn Phillips crossed for his second score from a controlled drive to give his team a 12-6 advantage.

 

With the game still very much in the balance, however, The Preseli Men scored their third try as they won quality ball which the Phillips boys at half back moved swiftly left to find Eilir George at pace and the centre broke through with a clever dummy and then outpaced the cover to claim a score that would have graced any match – and Adam Phillips’ conversion set the seal on their success.

 

The Seagulls battled away until the final whistle but were unable to add any further points as Crymych move into the final, where they are sure to start as hot favourites against Narberth’s Development Squad.

 

Fishguard & Goodwick: Creegan Foot: Thomas George; James Griffiths; Sion Rowlands; Dylan Scott: Jake Jenkins; Max Jones: Will Delaney; Gavin Walsh; Iwan McVeigh: Griff Williams; Simon James: Rhys Lewis; Sion Colella; Chris Shousha (Capt). Replacements: Adam Bowen; Liam Wilkes; Will Lewis; Cai Llewelyn; Richard Hunter; Kai Bailey; Ed Bendall; Dan Evans; Gwilym Evans; Ryan McVeigh.

Crymych: Adam Phillips: Owain Evans; Gethin Gibby; Carwyn Phillips (Capt); Ned Bennett: Ifan Phillips; Daf Phillips: Jonathan Clout; Cai Ifans; Ifan James: Luke Freebury; Rhys Davies:  Dafydd Gibby; Rhydian Howells; Llyr Evans. Replacements: Thomas Davies; Lee Griffiths; Jason Nicholas; Iestyn Wood; Jac Delaney; Joe Marl; Eilir George.

 

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

 

Blues celebrate new lights in style

 

Haverfordwest 53 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 0

 

(Pictures: William John)

 

Haverfordwest opened their new set of floodlights with an easy win over Pembroke Dock Harlequins in this rearranged league fixture from Division Three (West), with club chairman Charles Davies performing the official switching on to illuminate a dark, wet night where both teams deserve credit for getting out onto a very heavy pitch and entertaining a large crowd.

 

The Blues ran in no fewer than nine tries whilst maintaining a clean scoresheet but The Quins always tried to run limited possession back at the opposition and it is fair to say that the winning margin of over 50 points doesn’t do justice to a spirited performance where skipper Jack Brown had to prop instead of filling his regular back-row berth and there were other good performances by Harry Owen, Danny Wilkes, Jack Malitte, and Kieran Cookson amongst a pack that was inevitably under pressure in the set-pieces and also had some hard work behind the scrum from Euan McDonald, Gethin Bradney and Ben Hathaway.

 

Morgan Richards missed an early penalty for The Quins but then The Blues opened their account with a good try from centre Archie Thomas followed by another from second row Will Blackburn from a forward drive featuring Terry Lovell, Jamie Zambas and Dan Berry.

 

The Blues continued to dominate on the back of a power pack where Karl Busch led the way until he was injured and had support from Jonathan Mason, Steve Thomas and the rest when winger Sam Webber crossed in the far corner to earn five points and then a strong break by No 10 Liam Eaton from 40 metres out and a clever little grubber kick allowed centre Jack Codd to touch down and Roberts converted superbly from wide out to ease his team into a 24-0 lead.

 

No 8 Tingay was heavily involved at the start of the second half as he scored two solo tries; the first when he broke clear from a lineout on the 10 metre line and the second from a forward drive of a similar distance, converted by Roberts – and sandwiched neatly in between was a second try for Archie Thomas which was instigated by Lee Summons ability to create space.

 

Then The Blues took their score past the 50-mark with a second Blackburn try and then their final try by winger Scott Candler before Roberts added the extras.

 

By then The Quins might have been forgiven for throwing in the towel but they attacked late on and had two kickable penalties which they ran but came to nothing but it typified their part in this match where both squads deserved praise for trying to entertain their supporters in such abject conditions.

 

Haverfordwest: Owain Roberts: Scott Candler; Jack Codd; Archie Thomas; Sam Webber: Liam Eaton; Lee Summons: Dan Berry; Jamie Zambas; Terry Lovell: Mark Busch; Will Blackburn: Jonathan Mason; Steve Thomas; Lewis Tingay. Replacements: Gethin Evans; Gethin Bateman; Adam Williams; Tom Davies; Matthew John.

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins:  Ben Hathaway: Ieuan Jenkins; Gethin Bradney; Adam Jones; Tom Donovan: Euan McDonald; Morgan Rogers: Jack Brown; Jack Hagan; Kieron Cookson: Callum Jones; Danny Wilkes: Jack Mallitte; Jayden Webber; Harry Owen. Replacements: Connor Kolmel; George Belmaine; Tom Wheeler; Aaron James; Tom Hagan; Will Nicot.