PHOTOS:
James Pizey on his way for a try against Narberth

Lyndon Bateman looks to clear up for The Otters
 

Championship:

 

Slow start costs Otters dearly

Narberth 17 - Bargoed 41

Narberth got off to the worst possible start against high-flying Bargoed as they conceded a first-minute try to scrum half James Pizey, had Johnnie Morgan yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, saw Pizey dive over for his second unconverted try, allowed winger Dwayne Duet to make it 15-0 in 12 minutes.

It was fortunate that Bargoed No 10 Matthew Hutchens seemed to have left his kicking boots at home but that hope promptly disappeared as influential centre Lewis Protheroe raced through for the fourth try which earned last season’s champions a bonus point - and Hutchens added the extras to ironic cheers from the home crowd.

Narberth finally managed to break their duck with a cracking try from full back Johnnie Morgan to maintain his record of a try per match, after good work by Liam Hutchings and Ollie Reyland, with Ianto Griffiths adding the extras.

But straight from the kick-off a Narberth error allowed Bargoed full back Ashley Norton to speed through for a try which Hutchens converted to give his side a 29-7 interval lead.

Protheroe increased the visitors lead with a try before replacement centre Scott James replied for The Otters, followed by Morgan’s second score but home hopes of another come-back were ruined as Jordan Purcell scored Bargoed’s final try , which replacement Paul Price converted.      
      
Narberth: Johnny Morgan: Nick Gale; Ianto Griffiths; Ollie Reyland; Liam Hutchings: Jonathan Rogers; Rhys Lane: Dan Jacobs; Dan Smith; Jamie Kaijaks: Adam Clarke; Lyndon Bateman: Gareth Bateman (Capt); Llyr Morris; Lewis Wood. Replacements: Scott James; Ollie Evans; Alex Jenkins; Dewi Williams; Mauritz Neumann.

Bargoed: Ashley Purcell: Jordan Purcell: Lewis Protheroe; Darren Humphries; Dwayne Dyer: Matthew Hutchens; James Pizey: Rhys Morgan; Leigh Meades; Alan Keys: Nicky Coughlin; Marc Gwilt: Andrew Coupe; Grant Rogers; Ross Coombes. Replacements: Lee Pearson; Paul Price; Jack Williams; Lewys Lippiett; Lewis Weyman.

Rhys Lane tries to get the Narberth backs in motion

Division One (West):

Wanderers power past Preseli Men

Llanelli Wanderers 36 - Crymych 28

Crymych battled hard against Llanelli Wanderers but in the final analysis had to settle for the consolation bonus point for securing four tries in this high-scoring tussle where the victors moved up to seventh place in the table and the Preseli Men dropped to fifth.

Luke Rogers and Carwyn Phillips claimed Crymych’s first half tries, both converted by Rogers, but they still trailed 26-14.

The Preseli Men had Joe Powell, Trystan Nicholas and Aled Harries to the fore in an equally fast flowing second half and Powell appeared on the scoresheet after second row Andrew Phillips had also scored, with both tries again converted by Rogers.

But they were never in front as Llanelli Wanders ran in tries by hooker Ben Harries, full back Steffan Marshall and centres Jonathan Griffiths and Rhydian Morgan, plus two conversions and four penalties by outside half Jonathan Morgan, which ultimately proved the difference as they finished level on try count.

 

 

Nico Setaro crashes over for a try
Picture by Susan McKehon

Borderers outstay the Seasiders

Whitland 26 - Tenby United 17

Matches between these old rivals have traditionally been hard fought and this latest tussle at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn was no exception as the Borderers led 13-10 at the break and were able to take the bragging rights after an equally hard-fought second period.

Yet it was The Seasiders who made the better start as inspirational skipper Luke Hansford powered his way over the try-line and Toby Smith converted before the Borderers suffered another setback when John Gardiner received a red card after two tackles without using his arms.

But the home side just rolled up their sleeves and fought back when centre Aled Jones scored a good try which Nico Setaro converted to go with two well-struck penalties and the Seasiders had a Smith penalty to limit Whitland’s interval lead to three points.

Setaro also featured in the second half as he scored a try which he also converted, followed by two penalties for a personal haul of 21 points – and although Smith also rounded off a good personal performance for the Seasiders with a try and conversion it came too late to influence the result.

 

Rob Weston is hauled down by Aled Jones
Picture by Susan McKehon

 

Division Two (West):

 

Seagulls survive as Batcup kicks wide

Fishguard & Goodwick 16 - Hendy 14

Fishguard and Goodwick gained their third win in six starts in this higher division with a narrow, nerve-wracking win over Hendy at The Moors which moved them into a creditable sixth place in the table.

The Seagulls have quickly learned to adapt to this much-tougher section after gaining promotion and the return from injury of skipper Simon James was a real boost as he played well up front alongside Chris Shousha and Rhys Lewis, Ryan McVeigh and Gavin Walsh, whilst the old heads Romeo Colella and Gerwyn Davies played a part at prop later in the match.

Hendy full back Josh Batcup put his side ahead with an early penalty but the Seagulls soon replied with a try from Rhys Lewis after James neatly created space and then popped up the ball, with James Griffiths adding the extra points.

Batcup reduced the deficit to a single point at half time with his second penalty but after the resumption Griffiths kicked a penalty for the homesters and Batcup landed his third successful penalty.

As the Fishguard pack played well Griffiths kicked two more three-pointers but just when it looked as if they were home and dry up popped Hendy second rower Richard Kinnear to score a try with ten minutes to go.

Batcup’s conversion sailed the wrong side of the upright and The Seagulls played good containing rugby to see them home, but their supporters were still glad to hear the final whistle!

 

Division Three A (West):

 

Cardis edge out section leaders

Cardigan 23 - Haverfordwest 22

Haverfordwest slipped off the top of the table and lost their unbeaten record in the process as they went done by a single point against a cardigan side which remains in joint third place but is now just one point behind the Blues in the league table.

Rightly billed as the top match in the section there was little to choose as the teams were locked at 17-all after a tough first half but after the visitors had edged through to a 22-20 lead with time running out it was Iestyn Crompton, so often the catalyst for key Cardigan wins, who stepped up for a penalty that sealed success.

Yet the Blues made a good start with a try from centre Dan Richards which Mikey Jones converted nut home scrum half Aaron Evans replied with an unconverted try and full back Alun Jenkins crossed for a try which Crompton goaled.

No 10 Jones slotted a Haverfordwest penalty but as fortunes ebbed and flowed John Conbray raced over for the Teifisiders before Dan Richard added his second Blues’ try and Jones’ conversion levelled matters up.

In an equally tight second period Crompton kicked a Cardigan penalty but Blues’ full back Danny Morgan sniped through for an unconverted try that might have given his side the victory – but Crompton made them pay for a late indiscretion and their proud 100% record was gone!

 

Scarlets left to regret missed kicking chances

Laugharne 32 - Pembroke 25

Pembroke played positive rugby at Laugharne to score five tries but had to settle for two bonus points as they missed all their kicking chances whilst Laugharne amassed 12 points from the accurate boot of Owain Thomas and Luke Starkey to take the verdict.

Laugharne led 18-10 at half time thanks to a first minute try by outside half Owain Thomas, converted by Tom Jameson, who also booted two penalties as second row Carl Smith also got his name on the scoresheet.

There were further scores after the break from second row Gary James and Thomas, who also kicked one more conversion before Luke Starkey landed their final two points.

Pembroke coach Geraint Lewis felt that his team had shaded the general play and they scored tries by skipper Jordan Gwilliam, hooker Max Hayward, centre Billy Wood, winger Luca Tremarco and second row Will Edwards – but they will look back at how the game slipped from their grasp and they could only muster two points from so much effort.
 

Saints mauled in second period

Milford Haven 55 - St Clears 3

Milford Haven moved to the top of the section table with this fifth win in as many matches as they scored 36 unanswered points in the second half after the Carmarthenshire Saints had restricted them to a 19-3 interval lead but had no answer to the Mariners’ powerful play after the oranges.

Chris Rodenhurst claimed the visitors’ points with a penalty but the Mariners responded with good tries from player/coach Mark Wonnacott, fly half Joe Kiff and back row man Sam Dolling from a length of the field thrust, two converted by Kiff and one of them from the touchline.

It was all Milford Haven on the restart and tries came at regular intervals from centre Dan Jenkins (2), winger Matthew Richards (two tries on his seasonal debut), flanker Ryan Mansell, who was adjudged man of the match, plus full back Lee Riley, who shared four more conversions with Kiff to round off a good day for the Mariners!

 

St Davids win ball from a scrum

Picture by Matthew Kelly of Rawphotography.me.uk

All Blacks celebrate first success

Neyland 46 - St Davids 5

Neyland finally notched their first win of the season as they ran in seven tries against St Davids at the Athletic Ground – and leapfrogged above the Saints in the table in the process.

The All Blacks were in the ascendancy early on and centre Patrick Bellerby landed a simple penalty to open the scoring.

Home flanker Gareth Lawlor then rounded off a period of pressure to crash over in the corner, before Bellerby broke clear and saw his attempted pass deliberately knocked on, resulting in a penalty try which he himself converted.

And the same player then increased the lead to 20-0 when he rounded off some good handling – before the Saints enjoyed their best spell which saw home No 8 Gareth Jones yellow carded, but a series of close range scrums for the visitors came to nothing.

But the All Blacks raised the tempo after the break and scrum half Mark Riley and replacement Adam Cawley both went over, the latter with his first touch – before winger Craig Grice burst through some weak tackling for a try from half way.

Centre Adam Collins also strolled between the posts, as Bellerby added three more conversions.

The Saints, for who veteran second row Gethin Bateman stood out and youngsters George Raymond and Aaron Foster made promising first team debuts, did grab a try of their own late on when scrum half Fraser Watson sniped down the blindside to score.

But it was Neyland and skipper Andrew Slark who were able to enjoy a deserved first league success.

Patrick Bellerby kicked 11 points for Neyland
Picture by Matthew Kelly of Rawphotography.me.uk

 

Quins run amok in second half

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 45 - Llangwm 3

For the second week in succession Llangwm conceded a lot of points in the second half after battling hard before that – because after the Pembroke Dock Harlequins had only led 12-3 at half they took total control thereafter.

And leading the way for the Quins in that one-side second period were full back Damien Miller (two tries) and centre Jack Price (three tries) – so that Miller now has 12 tries in four matches and Price has pouched eight tries in a game fewer.

But it would be wrong to paint the Quins as a two-man outfit because coach Ossie Boswell is building a strong side around them. Darren Potter made a welcome return in the second row and caught the eye alongside blind-side flanker Gary Pickering, who did a good job throughout.

The Quins scored their first try through prop Sean Willington and within two minutes hooker Carl Williams rounded off an excellent move featuring Kevin Bratcher and Lewis Davies, who added the extra points.

For the Wasps, Ryan parry and Gavin Jones worked hard as props and Rhys Mason played well in the back row after a necessary switch from his regular No 9 spot, whilst Danny Chesmer looked strong in the centre and Richard James enjoyed his first game at Pill Parks as half back partner to Luke Brock, who landed the Wasps’ first half penalty.

But then Miller and Price shared their five tries for the Quins and Davies added four more conversions as the Quins moved into joint third place in the section table.