PHOTOS:
Sam Kurtz cleverly slips a pass to Chris Shousha
Gwilym Evans wins lineout ball for the Seagulls
Dan Guineri clears well for Penclawdd
Feature Match:
Division Two (West):
Mistakes cost Seagulls dearly
Fishguard & Goodwick 17 - Penclawdd 23
Fishguard and Goodwick will look back on this loss to undefeated Penclawdd as a match they could, and perhaps should, have won as they trailed 23-3 just after half time but reduced the deficit to only six points with ten minutes to go.
But they hurried their possession, took wrong options and certainly weren’t helped by some decisions by referee Sion Wynne, who had made the long trek down from Caernarvon, who missed a clear forward pass as the ‘Cocklemen’ scored their second try, and after yellow-carding a visiting player late on gave three penalties in quick succession for offences close to the line where a penalty try might have been awarded by some referees.
Cocklemen take control
But to be fair to Penclawdd they are a well-drilled side that plays good rugby as brothers Dan and Tim Guineri call the shots at fly half and full back respectively – and it was Dan’s left boot that saw him land a penalty after he had previously converted a try by flanker Carl Longwell – and all the Seagulls could muster in return was a long range penalty by No 10 James Griffiths.
More pressure on the left saw the ‘Cocklemen’ grab a try by second row Ben Davies, although the final pass was clearly forward. And they added a third right on the break after the Seagulls had lost control at a defensive scrum five and No 8 Jonathan Hughes helped his side to a 20-3 interval lead.
Fishguard fight back bravely
It was a similar story after the interval as Fishguard were unable to turn pressure into points and Dan Guineri fired over three points – but this sting the Seagulls into raising their tempo and outstanding flanker Chris Shousha powered his way to the posts for Griffiths to add the simple extras.
Within minutes the homesters had added another seven points as Griffiths sliced through for a cracking solo try which he converted to set up a grandstand finish.
But again Fishguard failed to turn pressure into points as they conceded ground through hurried passes or poor options – and Penclawdd showed their defensive skills to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign!
Fishguard & Goodwick: Mike Jenkins: Sam Kurtz; Jone Vatu; Kial Keane; Ed Bendall: James Griffiths; Alun George: Gerwyn Davies; Owain Morgans; Andrew Morillo: Gwilym Evans; Rhys Lewis: Mark George; Chris Shousha; Daniel Jenkins. Replacements: Richard Hunter; Romeo Colella; Gavin Walsh; Steve Jenkins; Matthew George; Mark James.
Penclawdd: Tom Guineri: Matthew Stonham; Sam Devonald; James Snell; Ben McCarthy: Dan Guineri; Lee Gunnell: Daniel Tucker; Danny James; Rhys Jones: Ed Curvis; Ben Davies: Rob Watkins; Carl Long; Jonathan Hughes. Replacements: Josh Eynon; Matthew Donoghue; Tom Bebb; Ryan James; Phil Tucker.
Championship:
Otters come-back in vain
Narberth 32 - Swansea 39
Swansea led at Narberth by 32-8 after a one-sided first half but although the Otters produced a brave come-back all they had to show for it was a consolation bonus point for getting with seven points of the title aspirants.
Swansea looked a very powerful unit from the kick off and by the interval they had already amassed a bonus by dint of tries by winger Andrew Claypole, right wing Keelan Giles and No 8 John Fox alongside a penalty try, all converted by outside half Jac Wilson, who also notched an early penalty.
All the Otters had to show in reply was a penalty by No 10 Ianto Griffiths and an unconverted try from centre Ollie Reyland – but whatever Sean Gale said to his troops at the break it seemed to work because the Otters had tries by winger Nick Gale, Reyland again and winger Adam Davies, all converted by Griffiths to go with a penalty.
But Swansea regained their composure with a late try by hooker Paul John – although they returned to St Helens knowing they had come very close to losing for the second season running at the Lewis Lloyd Ground!
PHOTO:
Tenby's Luke Hansford tackles strongly. Picture by Susan McKehon
Division One (West):
Preseli Men pounce for Pembrokeshire derby success
Tenby United 15 - Crymych 20
Crymych eased home to victory at Heywood Lane as they dented a Tenby United fight-back to win a traditional Pembrokeshire derby, hard fought, abrasive and with little to choose between the teams before the Preseli Men secured victory and the Seasiders had to settle for one bonus point.
Tenby took the early lead from a Toby Smith penalty but they found themselves 13-3 adrift after Crymych had a try by winger Tomos Phillips alongside the conversion and two penalties by Luke Rogers.
The Seasiders reduced the deficit with an unconverted try from talented young fly half Aaron James but the Preseli Men’s telling response was a try by second row Gethin Greaves which Rogers converted.
Tenby’s outstanding skipper Luke Hansford and full back Dan Colley worked hard to keep the homesters going and their reward was a late try by Luke Deadman, back in action after being banned, which Smith converted as his side had to settle for a bonus point as Crymych remain second in the divisional table.
‘Disappointing’ Borderers miss out at home
Whitland 11 - Gorseinon 29
Whitland missed out on victory at home against Gorseinon in a performance described by a club spokesman as ‘disappointing’ as the visitors also leap-frogged the Borderers in the section table.
The home side were 10-3 adrift as Nico Setaro kicked a penalty for them but Gorseinon responded with a huge penalty from inside his own half from centre Josh Simmonds, plus a good try from full back Andrew Steele which Rhys Roberts converted.
The second half followed a similar pattern as Zac France-Miller tried to launch his pack into more sustained attacks and Setaro added a second penalty before Gorseinon second row Alun Evans ploughed over for a try and Roberts again added the extra points.
Outstanding No 8 Sean Haycocks then grabbed his team’s third try and centre Simmonds ensured a bonus point as he added a forth try for Gorseinon to finally kill off home hopes –and all the Borderers had to show for their efforts was a late consolation try by replacement scrum half Andrew Jenkins.
WRU Bowl Round One:
Mariners maul struggling Saints
Milford Haven 83 - St Davids 15
Milford Haven recorded a comfortable win in the first round of the Swalec Bowl as they ran in 13 tries against St Davids.
To their credit, the Saints fulfilled the fixture despite struggling to field a side and took a 3-0 lead just two minutes in when outside half Dafydd Williams slotted a penalty from 25 metres.
But after that it was one-way traffic as the Mariners went 38-10 up at the break, and added 45 more points thereafter.
Centre James Thomas crossed for three tries, No 8 James Passmore grabbed a brace, and there was a penalty try from a five metre scrum alongside scores from scrum half Dan McClelland, winger Craig ‘Yoda’ Thomas, flanker Dai Sweeney, full back Max Beddis, centre Dan Jenkins, and second half replacements Sam Dolling and Gareth Fawcett, whilst outside half Lee Riley added nine conversions.
For the visitors, scrum half Fraser Watson struck on the brink of the half time when he darted over from a quickly taken tap penalty, which Williams converted, and from the final play of the match, No 8 Anthony Davies crossed after a driving line out. Veteran forward Jack Dudley also made a cameo appearance in the final quarter as the Saints battled to the final whistle.
But it was a solid day’s work for Milford, who gave a debut to young prop Tom Phillips as they progressed to the second round.
James Thomas - hat-trick of tries for Mariners
PHOTO:
Danny Morgan breaks for Haverfordwest against Pembroke
Picture: Matthew Kelly of Rawphotography.co.uk
Blues win entertaining tussle
Haverfordwest 36 - Pembroke 17
Haverfordwest progressed to round two of the competition with a win over old rivals Pembroke in an entertaining tussle at Merlins Bridge where The Scarlets were very much in the game at half time but The Blues scored 14 unanswered points in the second period.
It was Pembroke who took an early lead when burly prop Johnny Palmer took on the kicking duties and slotted a penalty but the home side soon took the initiative with tries from winger Scott Candler and Mikey Jones, who converted his own try and added a penalty.
Back came The Scarlets to lead 17-15 thanks to a penalty try and a try from winger Ben John, both converted by Palmer – but The Blues led 17-10 at the oranges as Liam Brown grabbed a try and Jones added the extra points.
Pembroke continued to battle hard but flanker Mike Griffiths increased the home advantage with a try converted by Jones – and full back Danny Morgan ensured a Haverfordwest victory with their fifth try, again goaled by No 10 Jones.
Inexperienced All Blacks battle hard
Llandybie 39 - Neyland 7
Neyland travelled to Llandybie with something of a makeshift side that included four youth players and although they went down to defeat against an experienced home side which is expected to gain promotion from Division Three (West) their second-half performance was a strong one after they had trailed 30-0 at half time.
Craig Grice scored the All Blacks’ try as reward for his hard work, converted by Patrick Bellerby but Llandybie had already scored tries from Connor Thomas, Matthew Meredith, Tom Griffiths, Dafydd Nicholas and Aled Thomason, who also converted four of them to go with two penalties.
Cardis cruise against Mynydd
Mynydd y Garreg 10 - Cardigan 41
Cardigan cruised through to the second round at the expense of a Mynydd y Garreg side which had already lost all three games in Division Three C (West) and were unable to use home advantage as the Teifisiders were 26-3 ahead at the interval and were rarely troubled thereafter.
Scrum half Dafydd Phillips kicked a penalty for the home team as they were already 26-3 in arrears at the interval and he also converted a late consolation try by tight-head prop Cerith McNally but by then The Teifisiders were more than home and dry as their attacking play earned them seven tries.
Right wing Rhydian Jenkins claimed two tries alongside a brace from his left wing partner Dorian Butler, plus others by hard-working prop Dan Evans and centre Emyr Harries, whilst No 10 Llyr Tobias also got on the try sheet and added three conversions.
Rhydian Jenkins - two tries for Cardigan
Pembroke Dock Harlequins v Trinity College
** Match postponed – Trinity College unable to field a team so match awarded to Pembroke Dock Harlequins
Lampeter College v Llangwm
** Match postponed – Lampeter unable to field a team so match awarded to Llangwm