Photos:
Neyland's Darren John goes on a run
 

 

Feature Match:
 

Division Five (West):

 

All Blacks battle hard – but in vain

Neyland 9 Cefneithin 22

Neyland showed their true qualities despite defeat in this home match against a Cefneithin team which sits in second place in the section table after winning eight of their previous nine matches.

The All Blacks had first use of the wind and slope and were 10-9 behind at half time – but had played really well, with forwards and backs combining well as half backs Mark Riley and Shane Phillips played well alongside prop Gareth Bevans, centre Adam Collins and flanker Simon Phillips, back after two years in Korea.

Riley kicked two excellent penalties from long range to open the Neyland account and added another from a sharp angle after the Stars had scored an unconverted try by centre Darren Williams – but they trailed by a single point because they conceded a soft try right on the interval from left winger Jonathan Morgan.

Cefneithin used their experience to good effect after the break and when the All Blacks countered well but then lost possession it allowed outside half Richard Watts to race through to the posts and add the extra points.

As the home side tried hard to play ‘catch up’ rugby they conceded another unconverted try, this time to Morgan again – and although Mathew Williams came on for a late cameo for his first appearance in two season, it was Cefneithin who claimed the honours but the All Blacks could keep their heads up after such a gritty performance.

 

Neyland pack settle down at a scrum
Pics by Sean Hannon

 

Championship League:

 

Otters too strong in second half

Narberth 34 Llanharan 8

Narberth scored 24 unanswered points in the second half of their comfortable home win over old rivals Llanharan but the real effort had already been made in the first 40 minutes as the Otters played into the very strong wind but were still 10-8 in front.

Scrum half Rhys Lane gave the Otters the lead in the first minute as he dashed 50 metres up the touchline but Llanharan levelled matters when full back Rhys Walker scored an opportunist try and although he missed the conversion he made amends with a penalty.

Narberth made sure of a narrow interval lead however, when Ianto Griffiths’ penalty rebounded of the post and the Otter pack set up a platform from which flanker Stuart Worrall scored an unconverted try.

Jonathan Morgan gave the home side the lead within four minutes of the restart as he showed his pace from a kick ahead and dived over for a try which Ianto Griffiths converted. Rhys Lane claimed his second try and so did Worrall as the Narberth forwards went on the rampage.

They rounded off their scoring with a penalty try which Griffiths goaled and so go into Christmas deservedly in second place behind runaway section leaders Ebbw Vale.

Stuart Worrall - two tries for Narberth

 

National League Division Four (West): 

 

Penalty try seals it for the Seagulls

Milford Haven 7 Fishguard & Goodwick 12

A second half penalty try helped Fishguard & Goodwick claim a narrow win over Milford Haven in this hard-fought Pembrokeshire derby where both teams deserve every credit for sticking to the task in dire conditions.

The Seagulls played into the elements in the first half but with their back row of Simon James, Mark George and Kevin Ormond fully involved they took the lead when Ormond rounded off a move with an unconverted try.

Milford had David Sweeney working tirelessly at No 8 and Ben Johnston featured with some typical big hits and just before half time Sweeney scored a good opportunist try which No 10 Ian Rusinek converted to put the Mariners 7-5 in front at the interval.

As conditions worsened in the storms blowing across The Obs keeping the ball was difficult but with Nathan Jenkins and Rhys Lewis to the fore the Seagulls’ pressure at a close range scrum eventually produced a penalty try which replacement winger Alun George converted – and Fishguard went home with the win as Milford picked up a bonus point for their part in this clash.

Kevin Ormond - vital try for Fishguard

 

Division Five (West):

 

Quins play well at rain-swept Bierspool

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 20 St Clears 0

Pembroke Dock Harlequins claimed their third success of the campaign as they scored three tries and made sure that the Saints failed to score a single point.

The Quins were boosted by the appearance of former players Tom Lewis and Damien Miller on permit from Tenby, who were both involved in the early scoring as Lewis kicked cleverly to the corner and Miller opened their account as he outpaced the cover to score a corner try which Lewis did well to convert.

Then centre Chad Meyer added try No 2 and Lewis dropped a goal to give the Quins a deserved 15-0 interval lead.

The weather conditions certainly worsened in the second half but good possession from locks Mike Davies and Jake Osborne as part of a strong pack kept them going forward and it was appropriately Osborne who claimed the only five points as reward for his industry throughout the match.
 

Wasps lose again as ‘Golden Oldies’ help out

Llangadog 43 Llangwm 0

Llangwm are still searching for their first win of a difficult campaign as they went down to defeat against a Llangadog side which moved into fifth place as a result of their bonus-point win.

It means the Wasps have now lost all ten league games this season but they battled hard nonetheless as centre Will Beresford and No 8 Matthew John led the way.

There were also cameo appearances from coaching staff Richard Scriven (prop) and second row Scott Gregory, whilst touch judge Roger Morgan also showed his skills at hooker to help out when players had to leave the field through injury.

Llangadog led 29-0 at half time and they finished up with tries from Dylan Morgan (2), Luke Murray, Dan Phillips, Aled Jenkins, Ethan and Owen Jones, with outside half Aled Davies notching three conversions.
 

Scarlets slammed by Stars

New Dock Stars 57 Pembroke 7

New Dock Stars showed why they are top of the table as they scored nine tries in their runaway win over Pembroke and in the process made it nine straight wins from nine starts.

Sadly, they were unable to supply us with a single scorer and for the record the Scarlets had a try by scrum half Darren Gilbert which was converted by Gianluca Demarco..