Feature Match – Division Four Cup:

 

All Blacks go through in absorbing clash 

 

Neyland 30 - Cwmgors 21

 
A large crowd at sunny Neyland enjoyed a cracking game of cup rugby in perfect conditions, with attacking rugby played at great pace, some scintillating scores, especially the try brace from home No 10 Oli Rothero and skipper George Williams, plus a support score for  back rower Owain Evans, writes Bill Carne
 
Cwmgors also played their part in the running aspect of the game and after fly half Josh Evans and Rothero exchanged penalties in the first ten minutes showed their attacking capabilities as centre Owen Davies received an innocuous midfield pass from which his little chip ahead bounced perfectly and after slicing past two would-be tacklers served the perfect final pass for winger Richard Bradley to reach the line before Josh Evans added the extra points.
 
This stung Neyland into raising the tempo as their pack was outstanding in the ball-winning stakes – and after going close on a couple of occasions they drew level as Owen Hamer served Rothero and the outside half sliced through to the line for a try he also converted.
 
Cwmgors hit back from the kick-off when a careless knock-on earned them a penalty which Smith converted to put his side back in front, but not for long.




 
Not content with that first score, however, Rothero added a similar second after the home back row had secured possession for Adam Peel and skipper George Williams to launch an attack which gave Rothero just the space he needed, although this time the conversion failed so that the All Blacks were 15-13 ahead at the interval.
 
With the slope in their favour, The All Blacks started the second half well, as Rothero landed a penalty and open side flanker Owain Evans crossed as reward for some yeoman work alongside Tal Tamilia and Ben Williams before a Josh Evans’ penalty hauled Cwmgors back into contention at  23-16.
 
But Neyland made the game safe when skipper Williams rounded off another fine display since his return from injury and Rothero converted.
 
Cwmgors still manged to have the final word with a try by No 10 Smith – but The All Blacks were worthy winners and scrum half Owen Hamer was chosen as man of the match for his excellent link play between forwards and backs.
 
And finally,  a word of praise for 66 year old referee Steve Harwood, of Morriston, who was strong in his decision-making and his signals made sure the players and spectators knew why they were being made – no mean feat after 36 years with the whistle and playing before that.




 
Neyland: Liam Rees: Matthew Coles; George Williams (Capt); Adam Peel; Josh Watts: Oli Rothero; Owen Hamer: Luke Griffiths-Dawes; Alex Swales; Seb Mackintosh: Dan Hart; George Evans:  Tal Tamilia; Owain Evans; Ben Williams. Replacements: Mark James; Iestyn Evans; Andrew Slark; Henry Macbeth; Nick Wilson.
 
Cwmgors:  Stuart Phillips: Richard Bradley; Owen Davies; Connor Launchbury; Jack Evans: Josh Smith; Mike Jones: Carwyn Morris; Ceirion Thomas; Sion Phillips: Steff Charles; Dean Smith: Iestyn Thomas; Akex Lewis; Riley Rees. Replacements:  Josh Eady; Sam Holloway;  Liam Griffiths; Owen Wright; Iestyn Liles.
 





 

Premiership Cup:

 

Otters collapse in second half

 

Narberth 26 - Cross Keys 52

 
After a tight first half Narberth were 21-17 ahead against one of the former elite Welsh Clubs who is now lying in eighth place in the Premiership, with three wins and three defeats – and it looked as if The Otters might just have a chance of a semi-final spot but then allowed the floodgates to open so that Cross Keys added 35 unanswered points before Narberth gained a very late consolation fourth try.
 
Ashley Sutton got The Otters off to a good start with a try converted by Jon Rogers but then Keys scored an unconverted try by Adam Tetley and an interception score by scrum half Elliott Martin-Drew which Tetley converted. Winger Laurence Donnelly added a third visiting score but Narberth responded well through tries by flanker Sam davies and new winger Harry Fuller, both converted by Rogers.
 
Whatever the Keys’ coaches said at half time it certainly worked because they added to their try count via flanker Will Morgan and others arrived from Donnelly, Martin-Drew, winger James Smith and replacement Cai Davies.
 
Tetley added  all five conversions before Josh Thomas finished off the scoring with a late try converted by Rogers and The Otters are still seeking their first success at this level in the knowledge of just how high a standard they have risen to!
 
Narberth: Ashley Sutton: Harry Fuller; Hedd Nicholas; Jonathan Rogers; Josh Davies: Osian Evans; Alex Williams: Bradley Davies; Tom Clarke; Ryan Rees: Sam Martin; Will Blacburn: Caleb Salmon; Sam Davies; Roy Osborne. Replacements: Kyle Rossiter; Rob Evans; Kyle Hamer; Josh Hamer; Tom Powell; Josh Thomas; Matthew John; Jac Evans.
 




 

Division One Cup:

 

Seasiders hang on after losing a big lead

 

Waunarlwydd 25 - Tenby United 27

 
Tenby United moved into the last 16 of their WRU divisional cup with a narrow victory over Waunarlwydd but it wasn’t as convincing a win as one might of thought after they had deservedly led 12-3 at half time and added another 12 unanswered points before something seemed to click in the home team as they fought back to take the lead at 25-24 before The Seasiders had three points from Lloyd Thomas with two minutes to go that saw them through.
 
It was outside half Thomas who had given Tenby a welcome lead with a try and conversion after his pack had laid a solid foundation and a gap opened up which he happily exploited – Waun bounced back with a soft penalty from the kick-off from their scrum half  Joel Matushke to show they were up for a contest.
 
In a fairly even first period it was The Seasiders who grabbed the only other score when full back Geraint Thomas burst through, charging through two would-be tacklers before supplying the scoring pass for winger Matthew Lewis to score and then No 10 Thomas to convert.
 
Further tries by winger Gwion Jones, who picked up a loose ball and sped 55 metres to the line, and Gwion Jones again, one converted by Thomas, seemed to have killed off home hopes but a mixture of complacency and taking wrong options saw the homesters grab tries from Phil Evans and Ben Court (2), alongside two conversions and another penalty suddenly saw The Seasiders behind and in real danger of exiting the competition.
 
But then with time rapidly running out a Tenby attack was halted by a high tackle from which Thomas calmly kicked through before travelling back this Saturday to take on Waunarlwydd again in their league encounter!
 
Tenby United: Geraint Jones: Gwion Jones; Tom Edmonds; Jack Gooding; Matthew Lewis: Lloyd Thomas; Fletcher Broadhurst: Hywel Baker; Kyle Rossiter; Ethan Morgan: Tom Barrass (Capt); Alex Jenkins: Jack Brown; Jack Broadhurst; Jake Roberts. Replacements: Frankie Boyd; Dan Allen; Luke Dedman; Dan Colley; Luke Hartland.
 
 


 

Division Three Cup:

 

Aber make it a league and cup eight-day double

 

Haverfordwest 17 - Aberaeron 19

 
Aberaeron completed a league and cup double over Aberaeron on successive Saturdays and the Mid Wales’ side deserve credit for taking their chances whilst Haverfordwest found themselves often unable to turn promising positions into points but still managed to get within Aber’s tally with a try that came too late to influence matters.
 
Aber showed their intent as man of the match Bruce Gaskell led the way, supported by Owen Bonsall, Bobby Jones and Steff Jones, and they moved into an early ten-point lead with tries from Dyfrig Dafis and Steff Thomas,  who benefitted from a ball to the Blues’ corner which hit the flag and stayed in the field of play and Thomas was first to react, although both difficult conversions went wide.
 
The Blues showed great spirit as they bounced back with an excellent try by winger Scott Candler that was converted by full back Owain Roberts, who also slotted a penalty to tie things up with a 10-10 interval scoreline.
 
It was a similar story after the break as Haverfordwest had youngsters like Iestyn Arnold and Ioan Hawkridge-Jones, plus some good ball-winners up front led by skipper Karl Busch, always probing for a score but at the other end they conceded penalties in key places, with three of them slotted by ace kicker Rhodri Jenkins to open a 19-10 gap with time running out.
 
Then The Blues finally pulled off a move that saw a break down the middle and Iestyn Arnold supplied the scoring pass for Candler to claim his second try where he still had plenty to do but squeezed home in the corner and Roberts added the difficult conversion.
 
But sadly for the home supporters  it was too little, too late, and the difference was the way that Haverfordwest players trooped disconsolately off and Aberaeron’s squad sang Slade’s ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’ with their own lyrics of delight!




 
Haverfordwest: Owain Roberts: George Hopkins;  Jack Codd; Iestyn Arnold; Scott Candler: Matty Phillips; Ioan Hawkridge-Jones: Dan Berry; Jamie Zambas; Tom Carrington: Jack Clancy; Karl Busch (Capt): Dylan Williams; Mike Griffiths; Jake Evans. Replacements: Ieuan Bevan; Teifion Owen; Johnny White; Rhydian Walters; Ioan Kelso-Jones.
 
Aberaeron: Jac Crompton: Dyfrig Harries; Morgan Llewellyn; Rhodri Jenkins;  Steff DJ Jones: Steffan Rees: Rhodri Thomas: Ceri Davies; Owain Bonsall; Richard Francis: Julian Roberts: Bruce Gaskell; Steff Jones; Bobby Jones.  Replacements: Owain Wozencroft, Bleddyn Thomas; Osian Davies; Rhys Jones.




 
 

Superb fight-back sees Cardies go through

 

Cardigan 35 - Cwmafan 25

 
With just 20 minutes to go it looked as if Cardigan’s cup aspirations were well and truly over as they trailed by 25-9 against Cwmafan but something suddenly clicked and The Teifisiders roared back with four excellent tries, three of them converted by ace kicker Shaun Leonard to go with his three first-half penalties.
 
Those three kicks in in the first half saw Cardigan led 9-8 as visitors Waunarlwydd had a penalty by full back PJ Haydn alongside a try by flanker Garin R Williams – but the visitors to the King George Vth Ground took charge in the third quarter with tries from PJ Haydn, left winger Lewis Page and right winger Garin G Williams, one of them converted by Haydn.
 
Perhaps they took their collective foot off the pedal or something clicked for The Teifisiders as their replacements also made an impact and the comeback was started by wingers Alun Jenkins and Jack Taylor, but only after some immense work by the rest pf their fired-up team.
 
Jenkins dashed over for the first two tries and Taylor followed with two more, three of them converted by Leonard to give him 15 points – and their reward is a place in the last 16 of the competition, which certainly seemed unlikely at the three-quarter mark of the game!
 
Cardigan: Shaun Leonard: Alun Jenkins; Marcus Castle (Capt); Emyr Harries; Iwan John: Jac Davies; Llyr Jones: Andrew Jones; Luke Palmer-Davies; Ben Hughes: Dean Harries; Dan Jones: Kieran Hurley; Guto Davies; Colin Davies. Replacements: Rhodri Parry Jones; Will Brice; Sion Phillips; Aaron Tomkinson; Jack Taylor. Reserves:  Kieran Greenland; Kester Adams.
 
 

Division Four Cup:

 

Cramb’s arrival a major factor in Athletic’s progress

 

Furnace 17 - Narberth Athletic 20

 
Brad Cramb joined Narberth Athletic this week and the talented young centre marked his debut with the man of the match award for his general play in attack and defence, with 15 of the points that gave them a deserved place in the next round against a very determined Furnace team which was in with a shout of victory throughout a hard-fought tussle.
 
Team manager Bill Ridge was delighted by the contribution made by the entire squad, with the front row of Declan Cole, Rhys Jenkins and Jay Norcross (replaced after a 20^th-minute injury by the equally durable Gareth Clifford), with half backs Archie Valence and Jordan James controlling play well and skipper Steve Pilot leading by example.
 
Centre Steven John Brown claimed one of the Athletic’s tries and Cramb grabbed the other as he linked well with Iestyn Doble, Owen Llewellyn and Harri Harries, adding both conversions and two penalties.
 
For Furnace there were tries by Harri Rees and Scott Hiddleston alongside both conversions and a penalty from Harvey Evans but it was Narberth Athletic who came away with victory over a team that sits atop Division Four (West) B with five wins out of five.
 
Narberth Athletic: Harri Harries: Iestyn Doble; Brad Cramb; Stephen J Brown; Owen Llewellyn: Ashley Valence; Jordan Jones: Declan Cole; Rhys Jenkins; Jac Norcross: Dan Owen; Harry Foster: Stephen Pilot (Capt); Jack Tucker; Harry Phillips. Replacements (from):  Gareth Clifford; Steve Thomas; Yori Morgan; Luke Conbeer; Shay Norcross; Osian Phillips; Matty Lewis.
 
 
 

Good win for bustling Bulls against Bynea

Teirw Crymych 24 - Bynea 7

 
Teirw Crymych produced a solid team performance at just the right team to gain a comfortable win over a Bynea team that has yet to taste success in Division Four (West) B this season but showed they have some experienced players who only needed an opening to grab their first success.
 
But The Bulls scored the only points of a tight first period, with a try from No 8 Osian Thomas, converted by outside half Tomos Rees, and then restricted Bynea’s scoring chances to a minimum as skipper Luke Freebury,  Steffan Morris, Griff Lloyd and Jonah Laidlaw also caught the eye with their work-rate.
 
Other Bulls’ tries came from  a second by Osian Thomas,  centre Steffan Rees and Trystan Griffiths; home from his work as a professional opera singer here and taking a different centre-stage appearance with a good try.
 
Tomos Rees added a second conversion and Bynea managed a consolation try by Rhys Gingell as reward for never throwing in the towel, converted by Cameron Mills, before Mr Griffiths led the traditional Crymych singing in the clubhouse bar afterwards!
 
Teirw Crymych:  Hedd George: Steffan Rees; Hedd James; Steffan Rees; Gruff Williams: Tomos Rees; Owain Rees: Lloyd Hughes; Sion Wilson; Tomos Davies: Luke Freebury (Capt); Jonah Laidlaw:  Steffan Morris; Griff Lloyd; Osian Thomas.  Replacements: George Plummer; Robert Davies; Morgan James; Trystan Griffiths; Osian Rees. Reserve: Aneirin Vaughan.