PHOTO:
Cardiff Met on the counter

Championship:

Otters end students’ unbeaten run
 

Narberth 16 - Cardiff Met 13
 

Narberth ruined Cardiff Mets undefeated eight-match start to the campaign as they held the edge up front and used this advantage to stifle the strong-running students’ back division and gain a deserved win that saw them leap-frog over their opposition into third place in the section table as their reward.

The Otters were 7-6 behind at the interval with a scoreline that didn’t show the pace at which the game was played, the willingness to run the ball and the total commitment of a tussle in which a huge tackle by Narberth prop Tom Kaijaks on Met’s scrum half Ellis Bevan was a feature early on.

The home side deservedly took the lead early on with a simple penalty by Nick Gale when the efforts of tight five forwards Kaijaks, Dan Smith, Dai Jacobs, Jake Simm and skipper Alex Jenkins established their superiority that allowed the outstanding back row of Ritchie Rees, Tom Powell and especially Andrew Cook to forage well and stifle the students’ ambitions.

As a result The Met could only claim one close-up effort from Jack Wright which Henry Johnsonconverted.

Gale, who looked in tremendous kicking form in his specialised warm-up, put The Otters back within a point at the interval and it would not have been an injustice if the gap had been even wider because they had the better of the territorial play and missed two chances of opening their try account.

But The Otters started the second half well as Ritchie Rees plunged over in the clubhouse corner after 43 minutes and Gale slotted a difficult conversion – although the students reduced the deficit midway through the half with a penalty from outside half  Johnson.

Gale responded with his third penalty on target after 71 minutes before The Met claimed a bonus point in the closing moments when Johnston landed a penalty - but The Otters were good value for victory from a terrific squad effort..

Narberth: Nick Gale: Johnny Morgan; Jack Price; Jake Jenkins; Gethin Gibby: Jonathan Rogers; Lewys Gibby: Dan Jacobs; Dan Smith; Tom Kaijaks: Jake Simm; Alex Jenkins (Capt): Andrew Cooke; Tom Powell: Richie Rees. Replacements: Bradley Davies; Rhodri Owens; Steffan Phillips; Rhys Lane; Ianto Griffiths.

Cardiff Met: George Gladding: Will Morris; Jack Wright; Oliver Morris; Will Morris: Henry Johnson; Ellis Bevan: Jamie Tucker; Shawn Howard; Will Hurd: Tom Pearson; Adam Dove: Dan Thurston; Max Heatherman; Joe Jackson. Replacements: Matthew Lorrett-Scott; Jack Williams; Ed Scragg; Dylan Morgan; Rhys Gealy.

Referee: Jonathan Evans.

PHOTO:
Tom Powell covers well

Division Two:

Seagulls fend off comeback to take bonus-point win

Tumble 29 - Fishguard & Goodwick 39
 

This season has seen Fishguard and Goodwick as traditionally slow starters but in their match against bottom-placed Tumble they must have had an extra warm-up session on the bus and raced into a 32-3 lead by half time.

But The Seagulls reversed their normal second-half strong showing and coach Nathan Jenkins must have bitten his nails down because Tumble added another 26 points thereafter but at least The Seagulls kept their nerve with a solitary try from Mike Jenkins that ensured that they claimed a maximum five points.

Leading the way for Fishguard was outside half Nico Setaro, playing on permit from Whitland and showing his ability to bring players around him into action with the wide array of passes he conjured up on the back of some rousing play by his forwards.

Setaro gave The Seagulls the lead with an early penalty and then helped Gavin Walsh in setting up a try for Luke Freebury before Tumble responded with a penalty by Mitch Jones.

But after 28 minutes The Seagulls secured the try of the match as Simon James charged from his own 22 to the Tumble 22 and from the ensuing platform a long Setaro pass freed Thomas George for the winger to score a try which Setaro converted.

George quickly added his second try and it was followed by others from Robbie Jones and Setaro, whose conversion saw Fishguard 29 points to the good at half way.

The second half was a different story, however, as Tumble tore into The Seagulls and centre Steffan Price and scrum half Iwan Morgan grabbed tries, the second converted by Mitch Jones before Tumble were awarded a penalty try for a scrum five offence but Fishguard finally managed to respond with a cracking team try by Mike Jenkins which Setaro converted.

There was still time for Tumble to score again from Ifan Smith but it was too little, too late by the homesters and Fishguard were ultimately good value for a bonus-point away win!

PHOTO:
Mike Jenkins - vital try for Fishguard

PHOTO:
Efan Morgan dives over for a try for Milford Haven
 

Division Three (West) A:

Mariners win battle of unbeaten sides
 

Neyland 15 - Milford Haven 21
 

Something had to give at The Athletic Club as two unbeaten sides in Division Three West A went head to head, and it was Milford Haven who overcame fierce derby rivals Neyland in an enthralling contest.

As expected, there was no shortage of intensity in the opening stages and Neyland No 10 George Evans landed a 35 metre penalty to put his team ahead, but Milford struck back as Steve Martin’s scoring pass to Lee Riley appeared to be deliberately knocked on by Patrick Bellerby – and a penalty try was given as well as a yellow card to the winger.

The Mariners extended the lead when second row David Round powered over and No 9 Dan McClelland converted, and despite having flanker Ryan Mansell sin binned the visitors led 14-3 at half time.

And they seemed to take control after half time when No 10 Efan Morgan scored off a clever inside pass from No 8 Mark Wonnacott, McClelland again converting, and with their scrum dominant Nathan Williams’ men seemed set to push for a bonus point.

But back came Neyland as a break from classy full back Tom Hughes earned a try for Bellerby, and despite having Owain Evans and Sam Katakai sin binned, the All Blacks then set up a big finale as winger Henry Macbeth was again involved in a try for George Evans, who also added the extras.

The home side then pressed frantically late on as Round became the fifth player yellow carded, but they had to settle for a bonus point as the Mariners held out for vital derby win.

Neyland: Tom Hughes, Patrick Bellerby, Alex Codd (capt), Mark Riley, Henry Macbeth, George Evans, Jack Richards, Eugene Grice, Richard Jones, Jack Harries, Mark James, Luke Griffiths-Dawes, Iestyn Evans, Owain Evans, Ben Williams. Replacements: Gavin Campbell, Delme Bateman, Andrew Slark, Ben James, Sam Katakai.

Milford Haven: Steve Martin, Lee Riley, Jamie Lewis (capt), Dan Birch, Dan Jenkins, Efan Morgan, Dan McClelland, Mike Cockburn, Luke Ryan, Adam Rees, David Round, Chris Hall, Dewi Williams, Ryan Mansell, Mark Wonnacott. Replacements: Aaron Mayne, Ben Groves, Brandon Cooper, Garin Gardner, James Trueman.

PHOTO:
Tom Hughes on a charge for Neyland

 

Ten-try Aber pound make-shift Saints
 

Aberaeron 70 - St Davids 6
 

St Davids had to scramble around for a side to travel to Aberaeron but despite a difficult day, stuck to their task admirably.

The home side ran in ten tries as they continued with their good form but The Saints, who trailed 49-0 at the break, showed real resilience to keep going until the end and landed two second half penalties from utility back Rhys Morgan as their reward.

Home tries came from prop Gethin Hughes, second row Lewis Tomkins (2), full back Morgan Llewellyn, No 8 Tudur Jenkins, centre Ollie Sawyer, No 10 Rhodri Jenkins, and replacements Billy Simpson and Llyr Davies.

Jenkins (Rhodri) was also his usual dead eye self with the boot, landing all 10 conversions as Aberaeron secured a fourth win in five starts.

Llyr leads Teifisiders to Pill Parks victory
 

Llangwm 14 - Cardigan 34
 

Llangwm put up a strong show against Cardigan before running out of steam whilst playing with 14 men.

The Wasps were trailing by only seven points when Yale Grice was shown a red card after he had seen his brother Craig under pressure and thought he needed to wade in and help – but it was the wrong decision because off he went and from then on the home side were under pressure and paid the inevitable price.

For Cardigan, there were six tries, two of them claimed by centre Llyr Jones, one in the first half as they led 10-0 (with right winger Rhydian Jenkins having already crossed for an early unconverted score) as flanker Tom Taylor caught the eye alongside Sion Edwards and Iwan John.

Llangwm did well to score two second half tries by second row Craig Grice and outside half Lewis Murphy, both converted by Luke Hayman, who had a good game at full back alongside Matthew Lewis, Josh Hicks, strong as ever, and Ian Griffiths, who showed his ability to play anywhere by slotting in at scrum half.

But The Teifisiders were intent on a bonus-point success and achieved it with other tries by Gruff Lewis, Edwards, and Iwan John, who added the extra points to his own try before Taylor appropriately had the final word as he powered his way over the whitewash.

PHOTO:
Llyr Jones - two tries for Cardigan at Pill Parks

Blues bag bonus point win in Mid Wales
 

Tregaron 0 - Haverfordwest 33
 

Haverfordwest made the long journey to Tregaron and returned with a welcome five points for scoring their five unanswered tries but what will have pleased coach Steve Barnett was the fact that the Blues kept a clean scoresheet.

“We have tightened up our defence in recent practice sessions,” coach Barnett told us, “and we rarely looked likely to gift points as we have done in the past, with Mikey Jones’ return as partner to scrum half Lee Summons a pleasing feature – with our pack going really well despite the loss through injury of skipper Matthew Clark and several other key players.”

It was Jones who booted The Blues into an early nine-point lead from three penalties and with Scott Candler back in midfield alongside Gareth Owen they had a cutting age which wingers Josh Atherton and Morgan Leyton, plus full back Rhys Baker were able to exploit.

It was Candler who claimed an excellent unconverted try and then Atherton sliced through for a try which Jones converted to give the visitors a deserved 21-0 interval lead.

In the forward exchanges the front row of Jamie Zambas, Matthew Clayton and Rhodri Harries ruled the roost and with youngsters Carl Busch and Matthew Young joining the back row of Matty Phillips, Ashley George and especially Jack Clancy in setting up quality possession there were two more tries Atherton and Baker, one converted by Owen, that set the seal on a convincing win for the rejuvenated Blues!

PHOTO:
Mikey Jones - welcome return for Haverfordwest outside half

Quins suffer sad travel sickness
 

Laugharne P Pembroke Dock Harlequins P

Match called off – Quins unable to field a team to travel

 

National Plate Second Round:

Seasiders bow out to battle-hardened Rumney
 

Tenby United 7 - Rumney 31
 

Rumney’s powerful set piece laid the foundations for them to win at Heywood Lane as they proved too strong for Tenby United in the second round of the Welsh National Plate competition.

The visitors had the edge at the scrum and it was that platform which saw them dominate the first half, as No 8 Matthew Way helped himself to two tries alongside a penalty try. Outside half Regan Mahoney added a conversion to open up a 0-19 lead.

Tenby fought back after the break as promising young forward Jack Broadhurst crossed for a try that centre Aaron James converted – but the visitors regained the initiative as replacement centre Chris Maton went over and Mahoney added the extras, and another replacement in flanker Lewis Hill completed the win with a try late on.

Preseli Men miss out in second half
 

Blaenavon 29 - Crymych 17
 

Flying Blaenavon winger Marcus Jones proved the difference between two good teams as Crymych exited the Plate despite the game being poised at 17-17 at half time.

Jones scores all four tries for the home side, two of which came in the first half to go with two conversions and a penalty from No 10 Darren Roach.

But The Preseli Men, despite travelling with some key players missing, more than matched their host for 40 minutes and there were tries for scrum half Dafydd and namesake and winger Tomos, while a third Phillips, No 10 Ifan, also added the extras to both to go with a penalty.

Jones continued his clinical form though with two more good finishes after the break, one converted by Roach, as Crymych went out but with heads held high after a spirited display on the road.

PHOTO:
Tomos Phillips - good try for Crymych