PHOTO:
Colin Davies on a typical charge for Cardigan

 

Featured Match – Division Three (West) A:

 

Brilliant young Blacks upset the odds

Neyland 15 - Cardigan 12

Neyland’s talented young side produced an outstanding performance against section leaders Cardigan which not only created the surprise result of the day in local rugby but also announced to the rest of the teams that the All Blacks are capable of taking any of them on if they can maintain this sort of attacking play.

Small wonder that influential skipper Steve Martin was delighted because he was the only experienced player in a back division that oozed confidence, pace and high skill levels, with co-centre George Williams a constant threat as wingers Luke Conbeer and Dean Coles, plus full back Patrick Bellerby were also a danger.

Early notice of intent

They served notice of intent from the outset as they swung play left then right before Williams made the incisive break and put Conbeer away for an unconverted try.

The Neyland back was also packed with young players, guided by old hands Mark James and Andrew Slark, who linked with Iestyn Evans and George Williams in a dynamic back row – and the front five of Luke Dawes, Richard Jones, Craig Power, James and Gareth Hein never stopped working for possession against bigger and more experienced players.

Cardigan showed why they were top of the table however, as god work by Kieran Hurley, Richard Connolly and skipper Llyr Griffiths set up the platform for No 8 Colin Davies to cross the whitewash and level matters at half time.

Hayman heads All Blacks back in front

The All Blacks started the second period well as halves Chris Morgan and especially Luke Hayman probed well with a depth that defied their youth – and Hayman put them back in front with a well-struck penalty.

Steve Martin then set up the second Neyland try with a terrific break and it was appropriate that George Williams should be at his shoulder to take the scoring pass before Hayman added the extra points to a cracking try.

Cardigan responded well with a good try of their own when replacement Gareth Clifford ploughed over and Luke Rogers converted.

Tense finale

It set up a tense final stage to an absorbing clash but, try as the Teifisiders did, they were unable to break down a resolute home defence in which replacements Craig Bennett, Adam Cawley, Steve Hamer and Jacob Lloyd all played a part in a great win for the Pembrokeshire All Blacks!

Neyland: Patrick Bellerby: Dean Coles; Steve Martin; George Williams; Luke Conbeer: Toby Hayman; Chris Morgan: Luke Dawes; Richard Jones; Craig Power: Mark James; Gareth Hein: Andrew Slark, Iestyn Evans; Ben Williams. Replacements: Craig Bennett; Steve Hamer; Adam Cawley; Jacob Lloyd.

Cardigan: Alun Jenkins: Tomos Rees; Marcus Castle; Emyr Harries; Llyr Jones: Aaron Evans; Luke Rogers: Will Brice; Rhys Brock; Richard Jones: Rob Connolly; Daniel Evans: Kieran Hurley; Llyr Griffiths; Colin Davies. Replacements: Gareth Clifford, Steffan Crompton; Ifan James; Gethin Jones; Steve Thornton
Referee: Jason Summers

 

Championship:

 

Otters on top at the Memorial Ground

Glamorgan Wanderers 6 - Narberth 33

Nick Gale was the points-scoring hero for Narberth as they maintained their run of good form at the expense of a young and relatively inexperienced Glamorgan Wanderers side which lies at the foot of the table after this latest defeat at their Memorial Ground in Ely, Cardiff.

Gale grabbed 28 points from three tries, two conversions and three penalties as the Otter pack laid the first-half foundations with a half time lead of 13-6 before they raised the tempo sufficiently to score 20 unanswered points afterwards.

The Wanderers’ only points came from two penalties by Matthew Arnold whilst the Otters’ other score was a penalty try as their pack exerted pressure, led by outstanding blind-side flanker Pat Roberts and the sniping runs of scrum half Rhys Lane.

This win keeps Narberth in third place behind undefeated Pontypool and Tata Steel and now they must travel to fourth-placed Skewen for an even tougher challenge on Saturday as the big two also clash in a key match!
 

Nick Gale - 28 points for Narberth

 

Division One (West):

 

Outstanding pack display by the Preseli Men

 

Crymych 15 - Llanelli Wanderers 10

An outstanding performance by the Crymych pack set the platform for their narrow, but fully deserved win over a Llanelli Wanderers outfit which arrived at Park Lloyd Thomas in top place, with four wins from as many starts, but now slip into third spot as the Preseli Men’s reward is a place in the top five!

The Wanderers led 7-3 at half time as they opened the scoring from a try by scrum half Osian Williams which Jonathan George converted – whilst young fly half Jake Jenkins replied for Crymych with a penalty.

The homesters certainly raised the tempo as their front five of Ifan James, Aled Harries, Scott Jenkins, Andrew Phillips and especially Dion Gibby made their presence felt and the back row of Dylan Phillips, skipper Tom Powell and the outstanding Davies played really well as a unit.

Guto Davies and Gibby grabbed tries as reward for their valuable contributions, one converted by Jenkins, and all the Wanderers could muster in response was a late George penalty which gave them a consolation bonus point.

 

Dion Gibby - vital try in Crymych win

 

Borderers edged out again!

Llangennech 21 - Whitland 15

Whitland went down to a narrow fourth consecutive defeat in this tough section and for the fourth time they secured a losing defeat by dint of the fact that the margin was so narrow!

The Borderers again battled hard in this tussle and skipper Jack Mason and coach Richard ‘Stag’ Jones said afterwards that the squad had performed quite well, but they need that little confidence-booster to take them up the table.

Llangennech had tries by centre Richard Thomas and winger Tom Barnes as skipper Liam Davies, playing an influential role at scrum half, contributed a conversion and tree penalties.

For Whitland, outside half Nico Setaro notched two first-half penalties whilst Lloyd Williams, who switched from wing to full back in the second period kicked three penalties, with young back-rower Dewi Williams again catching the eye for his all-action support play.
 
 

Division Two (West):

 

Blues battered up front

Haverfordwest 3 - Hendy 24

Haverfordwest’s inability to cope with the raw power up front of table-toppers Hendy caused them to be on the back foot as the visitors ruled the roost totally in the set-pieces and were awarded a first-half penalty try when referee Joseff Rees lost patience as they defended near their own line.

Steffan Hallwood added the extra points to go with an earlier penalty and all The Blues could muster in a dour first half was an equalizing penalty by outside half Mikey Jones and a strong left-flank run by Scott Candler which promised much but when play was wung right a poor final pass let them down.

The second half was marred by the unedifying spectacle of a mass brawl which led to the referee showing the red card to both captains and another player from each side, starting from a few handbag pushes before a visiting player ran 20 yards to throw a punch!

To be fair to The Blues, they battled hard in the second half on a heavy pitch but Hendy scored the only points from a nice try by Ifan Beynon-Thomas after he had switched from wing to scrum half and sniped away from a tapped penalty and a huge dummy thrown in on a run to the posts, Howells adding the extra points.

Hendy finished the scoring with a late try by centre Gareth Thomas which Howells converted and so Haverfordwest remain without a win whilst Hendy maintained their 100% record at the head of the section table.

PHOTO:
Blues outside half Mikey Jones runs hard

 

Seagulls stymied by Moors’ conditions
Fishguard & Goodwick v Mumbles
Match postponed – waterlogged pitch

 

PHOTO:
Josh Thomas takes the ball on the burst, the Mariners winger crossed for two tries

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Laugharne outlast gritty Quins

Laugharne 19 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 11

Pembroke Dock Harlequins battled hard at Laugharne but eventually went down to a defeat when they agonisingly missed out on a losing bonus point by the narrowest of margins.

The ‘Boathouse Boys’ led by 12-8 at half time thanks to a careless first-minute penalty try gifted them by the Quins, this score increased by the simple conversion by Tom Jameson and a  close range try by No 8 Mike Williams which went unconverted.

The Quins, for whom Steffan Halwood and Alex Pearce caught the eye, contributed a penalty by No 10 Ben Hathaway and a try right on the break by loose-head prop Dean Wilcox from a powerful forward surge.

Ossie Boswell’steam also began the second half well as Hathaway’s second penalty hauled them to within a point of the home side but they were unable to turn pressure periods into points and Laugharne collected the four points on offer for victory with a second try by No 8 Williams which scrum half Ross Michael converted.

PHOTO:
Lee Riley breaks a tackle as the full back scores for the Mariners

 

Mark makes hat-trick debut for strong-running Mariners

Milford Haven 77 - Llangwm 0

Milford Haven bounced back to winning ways on their superb new surface at The Observatory Field with a 13-try demolition job on a Llangwm side which never gave up trying but found it hard going after the interval where they conceded 55 unanswered points.

The Wasps played really well in the opening quarter and trailed by seven points but they ran a penalty in front of the Milford posts, lost possession and the mariners sped to the other end to double their lead!

Mark Jones, who also plays football for Hakin United, will certainly remember his debut as he claimed two first-half tries and completed his hat-trick later on, with Ben Groves opening the scoring and Ryan Mansell also contributing alongside a single conversion by Craig Barnett.

It was all Milford after the interval, however, despite useful performances for Llangwm by Ashley James when he switched to flanker, hooker Gethin Thomas and centre Carwyn Morgan.

Groves scored his second try and there were others from Lee Riley, new recruit Josh Thomas (2), Dan Birch, Sam Dolling, Tom Manning and Craig Barnett (2), who also knocked over six conversions for the strong-running Mariners.
 

Mark Jones - hat-trick on debut for Milford Haven 

 

Lewis Gibby scored three tries for Pembroke
Picture by Ceri Coleman-Phillips

 

Saints struggle as Scarlets pile up the points

St Davids 0 - Pembroke 98

Pembroke continued their 100% winning start to the season as they easily accounted for a St Davids side that is currently enduring a very tough period in Division Three (West) A.

The Scarlets scored 16 unanswered tries as they used the wind to romp into a 76-0 lead at the break, although were unable to maintain the same intensity thereafter as they fell just two points short of three figures.

Man on the match for the visitors went to centre Billy Wood, who cut through for a try hat trick, while scrum half Lewis Gibby also crossed three times and was a constant threat around the breakdown as usual.

No 8 Dom Colman also claimed two tries, as did winger James Skeels, whilst Luke Hartland, George Kenniford, Tom Kinnear, Barry John, Harry Owen, and Johnny Palmer all grabbed a score to complete another difficult day for The Saints.

Luke Hartland (6) and Lewis Davies (3) added nine conversions between them.
“It was a good performance from us today in difficult conditions,” said Pembroke coach Geraint Lewis, as we rang a few changes in the second half but the backs played really well, and Billy (Wood) really stood out.

“But full credit to St Davids because they had injuries but refused to go uncontested scrums, battled hard throughout and scrummaged against us until the very end.”
 

Billy Wood - try hat-trick for Pembroke centre