Blues full back Gareth John gets his pass away
Picture by Matthew Kelly of rawphotography.co.uk

Division 3A (West)

League leaders pushed all the way by Blacks

Neyland 10 - Haverfordwest 19

Haverfordwest’s hard-fought win over a battling Neyland side at the Athletic Ground kept them in joint top-spot with Milford Haven but the Blues were just happy to secure the league points against the All Blacks after the teams were locked on 10 points apiece during the second half.

There was little chance of a vital bonus point as Neyland kept plugging away and in the final analysis Haverfordwest had to settle for three penalties in the final quarter by full back Gareth John to earn them their sixth win in seven starts.

Mark Riley scored for Neyland and put his wealth of experience to good effect as Patrick Bellerby continued to show his talent with the conversion and a penalty, whilst Craig Grice played well in the back row and Craig Power made his rugby debut in the centre and showed he could set up camp there.

Dane Pindair had opened the Blues’ account with an unconverted try and after the interval a Bellerby penalty was followed by a second unconverted Blues’ try, this time by centre Luke Harvatt, to tie things up – before Gareth John’s kicking boots saw the visitors home.

 

Neyland’s Gareth Lawlor in action
Picture by Matthew Kelly of rawphotography.co.uk

Championship:

 

Otters out-lasted by gritty Emlyn

Newcastle Emlyn 24 - Narberth 21

Narberth conspired to play their way to a narrow defeat from the very jaws of victory as they surrendered a strong 21-3 lead well into the second half as a gritty Newcastle Emlyn used home advantage at Ddol Wiber to such good effect that they pocketed three converted tries in what essentially was a basement battle.

It was just enough to ease them from 12^th to ninth in the table, now just a point behind the Otters, who must have targeted this match as a win – but had to settle for a consolation bonus point.

Emlyn took an early lead with a penalty but left winger Dan Davies before flanker Llyr Morris scored a Narberth try and although Ianto Griffiths missed the conversion to give the Otters an 8-3 interval lead.

The visitors also made the more positive start after half time with a Nick Gale long-range penalty and then a penalty try which Griffiths converted before firing over another penalty to help his side to that 21-3 lead.

But then Emlyn forced their way back with a penalty try, followed by a solo effort from Dan Davies, and then centre Shaun Leonard put his side ahead, all three converted by Dan Davies.

There was still time for a late Narberth penalty attempt to draw the match but the touch judges disagreed on the outcome of the kick by Griffiths – and the referee decided it had not gone between the uprights!

Lively flanker Llyr Morris - gave Narberth the early lead at Newcastle Emlyn

 

Division One (West):

Preseli Men welcome Nigel back – but lose!

 

Gowerton 28 - Crymych 18

A great deal of interest involving Crymych’s match at Gowerton centred on the fact the match was refereed by Nigel Owens, fresh from his previous match as top official for the World Cup Final at Twickenham.

Mr Owens clearly enjoyed the banter with the crowd and the game flowed well as Gowerton led 14-11 at half time and went on to win by a ten-point margin and a welcome bonus point for scoring four tries.

Winger Tomos Lewis scored Crymych’s only try and Luke Rogers fired over two first-half penalties as the result of some good work by their pack, led by second row Gruffydd Howells and No 8 Dion Gibby, whilst centres Carwyn Phillips and Gareth Owens were joined by full back Tomos Phillips tried hard to go forward – but all the Preseli Men could muster was a try by tight-head prop Lewis Davies which Rogers goaled.

Gowerton’s tries came from centre Richard Thomas, winger Lloyd Hedges, No 8 Ryan Thomas and winger Josh Hamer, whilst outside half Stuart Davies did well to convert all four and helped send his side leap-frogging over Crymych in the table!

Lewis Davies - try in vain for Crymych prop

 

 

Seasiders stumble again as Wanderers climb the table

Llanelli Wanderers 42 - Tenby United 8

Tenby United’s disappointing season continued against Llanelli Wanderers as the Seasiders conceded five tries and allowed Wanderers’ ace kicker Steff Marshall to accrue 17 points from four conversions and three penalties, and in doing so the homesters moved up to seventh spot, whilst pinning the Seasiders firmly at the bottom!

Tom Lewis dropped a goal for Tenby in the first half and winger Jordan Asparassa scored their only try after the oranges but those scores apart it was the Wanderers who scored tries at regular intervals via a penalty try, Rhydian Morgan (2), Dan Nicholson and Rob Hughes.

Marshall also helped to keep the scoreboard ticking over in Llanelli Wanderers’ favour and this was not the best performance of this season so far from Tenby United!
 

Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn waterlogged

Whitland v Dunvant – Match postponed
 
Division Two (West):
 

 

Too much water at The Moors
Fishguard & Goodwick v Pontarddulais –Match postponed

 
 

Division 3A (West):

 

Ten-try Laugharne swat The Wasps

Laugharne 65 - Llangwm 0

Laugharne ran in ten tries against a Llangwm side which refuses to give in as they play every fixture with total commitment from their small squad of players and earned praise from Laugharne spokesman Alun Jenkins, who said that he was so impressed by the way they refused to give up.

Laugharne were already 27-0 ahead at the break as centre Tom Jameson opened their account with a penalty and then two conversions of tries from centre John Owen, winger Lee Clark, John Owen again and No 8 Mikey Williams to ensure a bonus point.

Catching the eye for the Wasps in defence were prop Gavin Jones, back rowers Rhys Mason and Harry Leveson, plus former club captain Dai Owen, who until now was retired but returned to help out and provided a cracking cameo at full back.

But he was unable to stem the flow of points for Laugharne as tries came from centre James Stephenson, replacements Gareth Davies and Aled Rees, followed by a second for No 8 Williams, Jameson and Luke Starkey from an interception.

Jameson notched another four penalties to seal a big win for Laugharne but Llangwm team manager Richard Scriven told us,

“We are proud of the way that our boys are keeping going and we will keep battling on in search of that first win.”

Centre Dan James bursts through a gap for the Mariners

 

Plain sailing for the Mariners despite Saints’ grit

Milford Haven 62 - St Davids 17

The Mariners moved level on points with Haverfordwest at the top of the table with this bonus point win over St Davids where Mark Wonnacott’s men ran in 10 tries to remain unbeaten – but it was not all plain sailing against a Saints side who crossed three times themselves, and kept the home side scoreless for the opening 25 minutes.

That was before home centre Dan Jenkins broke the deadlock with a long range try, and flanker Sam Dolling than powered over from a similar distance, with outside half Joseph Kiff converting.

The Saints were left to rue missed penalties as nine points went begging in the windy conditions – and were made to pay when Kiff jinked over to make it 17-0 at half time.

The Mariners took command after the interval and added three quick scores from second row Dai Sweeney, winger Jamie Lewis, and Kiff again, who added another conversion.

But at 34-0 the Saints rallied and full back Rhys Evans sliced through for a try before scrum half Fraser Watson crossed from a close range scrum.

Dolling and Jenkins then completed try braces for Milford and replacement forward Nathan Rees also powered over – with Kiff and replacement full back Ian Rusinek sharing four successful conversions between them.

Saints No 9 Watson then sliced over from a quick tap penalty, and added the extras himself - but Milford had the final word when another replacement in Chris Hall grabbed his first senior try.

Milford’s win was marred by a ligament injury to skipper James Passmore, who was stretchered off in the first half. Pembrokeshiresport.co.uk wishes him a quick recovery.

 Dai Sweeney breaks for Milford Haven

Toby stars on debut for Scarlets

Pembroke 60 - St Clears 0

 

Toby Smith made a debut to remember at Crickmarren as the former Tenby ball player orchestrated Pembroke so well against a dumbfounded St Clears’ side that he amassed 35 points from five tries and five conversions – and to round off a great day for the Smith family his brother Sam, playing at No 8, also claimed two tries!

Small wonder there was a smile on the face of coach Geraint Lewis, who had suffered the indignity of not being able to field a side a couple of weeks ago but watched his side push Whitland all the way in the KO Cup and was confident that the Scarlets have now turned the corner.

The Scarlets were already 29-0 ahead at half time and alongside the Smith Seven there were other quality tries from second row Will Edwards, whose dummy and sidestep past the Saints’ last line of defence will long be talked about, centre Billy Woods as he rounded off a long-range move, and powerhouse flanker Dom Colman.

Coach Lewis was also pleased with the defensive quality of his team’s play as they prevented a useful St Clears team from scoring a single point, just a week after they had beaten third-placed Cardigan!

Former Tenby try scorer Toby Smith - 35 points on debut for Pembroke!


 

Cardis hold on in nervy Bierspool finish

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 20 - Cardigan 22

There was high drama at Bierspool in this battle of wills between teams locked in the top four of the division and eager to stay in contention, before a late missed conversion by Pembroke Dock Harlequins allowed the Teifisiders a narrow win and the chance to return back over the Preselis with the spoils.

For the Quins there was the consolation of a bonus point but as coach Ossie Boswell told us afterwards, his young players still need to take their chances and not rely on the scoring skills of a small number of players, whilst youngsters Charlie Dearden and Harry Owen came on as replacements to make useful starts.

The Quins scored first via a Lewis Davies penalty but opposite number Iestyn Crompton punished some Quins’ indiscretion with two kicks on target – but then the Black & Whites scored a good try by flanker Steffan Hallwood which Davies converted before home full back Damien Miller sped in at the corner to give them a 15-6 lead.

But Cardigan winger Llyr Jones slammed over an excellent long-range penalty and Iestyn Crompton added his third penalty to narrow the Quins’ interval lead to 15-12.

The Teifisiders also made the better start after the oranges as full back Alun Jenkins cut through for a try which Crompton converted to go with a penalty but with the clock ticking away the Quins had a clever chip ahead by Miller which allowed Jake Griffiths to score his first Quins’ try.

But the conversion attempt fell short and so Cardigan move into third place above the Quins as reward for their narrow success.

Jake Griffiths - scored his first try for Pembroke Dock Harlequins