Fishguard & Goodwick RFC with sponsor Karl Milne of Stena
Ben John on a charge

 

Featured Match – Division Two (West)

 

Basic errors cost Seagulls even a bonus point

Fishguard & Goodwick 16 - Llanybydder 24

Fishguard & Goodwick produced a disappointing performance at The Moors against a Llanybydder team which restricted the amount of basic errors it made whilst The Seagulls will look back on a number of dropped passes and taking of wrong options at key times.

This was never more evident than in the final moments as they chased a five-point deficit, the  ball was dropped in midfield, a penalty conceded and a three-pointer for the visitors which even took away hopes of a home bonus point!

Jack plays a key role

Landing that penalty for Llanybydder was centre Jack Wilson, a local lad who played on dual registration with Swansea, scored both his team’s tries, kicked well at goal and generally tidied up a team which did well to show up after only having 11 players definitely available on Friday evening.

Goodwick conceded early penalties and it was a case of third time lucky as full back Steff Davies finally gave Llanybydder the lead before Wilson served notice of intent with a corner try after Fishguard had lost possession.

But The Seagulls responded well as a quickly-taken tap penalty allowed flanker Chris Shousha to brush off his tackler and speed 50 metres for a try converted by Alun George, who also notched a penalty from two attempts to give his side a 10-8 interval lead.

Good second-half start for Llan

Llanybydder also started the second half well with ten quick points as Davies kicked a penalty and Llyr Tobias converted Wilson’s second try – but the homesters again responded with a series of attacks involving Simon James, Mark George and skipper Gavin Walsh which saw George land another penalty.

The Seagulls were unable to turn pressure into tries, however, and a Wilson penalty gave Llanybydder the chance to stay focussed so that although George managed another three-pointer it was Wilson who had the final word in a frustrating game for Fishguard coaches Huw Evans and Gareth Thomas.

Fishguard & Goodwick:
Ed Bendall: David Evans; Mike Jenkins; Ben John; Jerome Conlan: Alun George; Andrew Williams: Gerwyn Davies; Gavin Walsh (Capt); Ryan McVeigh: Luke Freebury; Gwilym Evans: Mark George; Chris Shousha; Simon James. Replacements: Adrian Squelch; Mark James; Richard Hunter; James Reynolds.
Llanybydder:
Steff Davies: Gary Evans; Elia Pelegrotti; Jack Wilson; Llyr James: Llyr Tobias; Dion Thomas: Zach Lowther; Alun Davies; Matthew Evans: Richard Davies; Hefin Pugh: Wyn Davies; Stuart Phillips (Capt); Ricky Davies. Replacement: Harri Wilson.
Referee: Joseff Rees.




Alun George makes a brave tackle
 

Championship Division:

 

Outstanding Otters back to winning ways

Newbridge 8 - Narberth 37

Narberth bounced back from the disappointment of a home defeat the previous weekend with an outstanding win at Newbridge, who used to be one of the top 12 clubs in Wales but are now languishing near the foot of the section table.

But games at the Gwent club’s Welfare Ground are never easy and The Otters were only 103 ahead at half time before taking firm control in the second period as all the homesters could provide was a late consolation score by Andrew Evans.

Newbridge had also taken the early lead from a Simon Veall penalty but Nick Gale was again the main points’ scorer for the Otter as he raced over for a try which he also converted alongside a penalty but the winger might have added further points but the final pass went astray when he looked well placed.

James Stevenson had a good game for Narberth at No 10 and dropped a neat goal after his side had increased their lead with an unconverted try from livewire flanker Pat Roberts – and a penalty try following concerted forward pressure was converted by Gale to make the game safe.

But there was still time for further Narberth tries by centre Jack Price, converted by Gale, who also had the final word with his second try, as The Otters were good value for victory from a terrific all-round team performance which saw them stay joint second whilst Newbridge slumped to the foot of the table.
 
 

Pat Roberts - rounded off another good performance for Narberth with a try

 

Division One (West):

 

Preseli Men pounce for welcome win

Crymych 47 - Loughor 21

Crymych produced an excellent team performance to complete a deserved victory over a Loughor side that is now languishing at the foot of the table and rarely looked likely to take the verdict at Parc Lloyd Thomas.

The Preseli Men took an early lead with an unconverted try from eager scrum half Rhys Davies and although they twice trailed to tries from centre Morgan Bryant and scrum half Peter Smiriglia, both converted by the latter, they led 26-14 at half time thanks to further tries by full back Gethin Gibby, skipper Tom Powell and scrum half Matthew Roebuck that already earned them a bonus point, all three converted by Davies.
 
Bryant grabbed his second try for Loughor after the oranges, again converted by Smiriglia, but by then the Preseli men were out of sight thanks to further tries by Dylan Thomas, Guto Davies and a penalty try alongside another three Rhys Davies’ conversions, whilst Ifan James, Lewis Davies and Aled Harries also deserve a mention for their support play throughout the match.
 

Tom Powell - Crymych skipper scored a good support try

 

Borderers lose again – but bag two bonus points!

Aberystwyth 33 - Whitland 26

Whitland lost their sixth match on the trot but still managed to move off the foot of the table after coming close to a much-needed first victory but at least having pouched a pair of bonus points for coming with seven points of their Mid Wales opposition and scoring four tries.

As coach Richard Jones told us afterwards,
“When we led 19-12 a deserved first win seemed on the cards but we took wrong options and still don’t have the confidence to finish teams off – but I’m hopeful that is due to change soon.”

Centre Connor Edwards led the Borderers’ attack with two good tries whilst skipper Jack Mason’s continued good form earned him a try alongside a deserved score for young replacement forward Benji Kirk alongside Nico Setaro’s three conversions.

But Aber ran in five tries shared by Rhodri Richards, Paul Stubbs, Lee Evans, Matthew Hughes and Sion Summers, four of them converted by Llyr Thomas, to help keep Aber nicely situated in the race for the promotion places.


 

Connor Edwards - two tries for Whitland centre

 

Will Crockford scores a try for Tenby
Picture by Susan McKehon

Division Two (West):

 

Seasiders’ success is fully deserved

Tenby United 45 - Tycroes 13

Tenby United showed their strength in depth as they bounced back from defeat the previous week against table-topping Hendy with this bonus-point win that moves them back into second spot in the table.

The Seasiders were already 19-3 to the good at half time and they maintained a firm grip on matters thereafter to run in seven tries, five of them converted by Toby Smith, who again controlled the game well from his outside half berth.

Full back Scott James maintained his good form with a try alongside flankers Andrew Cook and Luke Hansford, two goaled by Smith as Tycroes’s only reply was a penalty by Scott Bowen.

The visitors did muster a brace of tries from powerful second row John James in the second half but Tenby had tries from left wing Jordan Asparassa, No 8 Barry Parsons, scrum half Will Crockford and a second from Cook as reward for his outstanding support play.

Toby Smith added the extra points on three more occasions and The Seasiders showed they are a force to be reckoned with as they now have a strong all-round squad.

Haverfordwest drive up the middle in their first win of season against Pontyberem

 

Brilliant Blues beat promotion contenders

Haverfordwest 23 - Pontyberem 20 

Haverfordwest totally upset the form book as they took on second-placed Pontyberem at Merlins Bridge and finished an exciting tussle with their first win of the campaign, after four successive defeats, with a determined display that will have delighted coaches Simon Lepetit and Matthew ‘Snowy’ John because they were behind on three occasions but still came through at the finish.

Scott Candler opened the Blues account with a well-taken try, converted by No 10 Mikey Jones, who also notched a penalty after Pontyberem had grabbed an unconverted try by Matthew Murphy.
Former Narberth flanker Wayne Williams then gave the visitors the lead with a try converted by Craig Evans to give his team a two-point interval lead.

Jones and Evans then exchanged three-pointers after the oranges before centre Gareth John restored the Blues’ advantage with a well-struck penalty.

But Pontyberem seemed to have done enough when Iwan Harries scored an unconverted try but Haverfordwest kept battling away and their team effort was rewarded when bustling flanker Matthew Phillips touched the ball down over the whitewash and Jones added the extra points to set up the celebrations amongst The Blues’ hardy band of supporters.

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Colman stars in Scarlets’ come-back

Milford Haven 22 - Pembroke 24 

Dom Colman was the toast of his Pembroke team-mates and their hardy band of supporters at The Observatory Field as the bustling back-rower grabbed three tries, including the late score that took the game away from Milford Haven, who had led 12-7 at half time and were 17-7 in front shortly after the break.

Pacy winger Jimmy Thomas gave The Mariners an early lead with a try that Craig Barnett did well to convert from wide out but then Colman muscled his way over from a forward rumble for full back Luke Hartland to level matters with the conversion.

Fortunes ebbed and flowed in a game which showed why both teams are front runners in the section and the home side went ahead again with a cracking unconverted try by Barnett.

Milford seemed to have struck a decisive blow when strong-running centre Dan Jenkins added a try but Pembroke responded with a length of the pitch move that saw winger Barry John finish off in style from near the half-way line before Hartland added the extra points.

Back came The Mariners when Josh Thomas scored his first try for the club to make it 22-14 but Colman rounded off a series of phases to added his second try – and then was perfectly placed to take a well-timed pass from teenage scrum half Tom Lewis, making a promising debut, to plough his way down the touchline and help maintain his team’s 100% start to the league season and joint top place in the table.

 

Dom Colman - hat-trick of tries for Pembroke back-rower

 

All Blacks too strong for Wasps

Neyland 41 - Llangwm 0

Neyland eased through to victory in their local derby against Llangwm at The Athletic Ground as that ran in seven tries without conceding a single point against a Wasps’ side which never gave up the battle but lacked the All Blacks’ ability to finish moves off with tries.

The All Blacks were 22-0 ahead at half time thanks to tries talented young No 8 Ben Williams and then tries by wingers Luke Conbeer and Ben Goodridge, both of whom looked very sharp with ball in hand. Veteran centre Steve Martin, who is doing such a good job as a player/coach on his return from a long stint with Narberth in the Championship, sliced through for a fourth score and outside half Toby Hayman landed one conversion.

In the second half there were further tries by scrum half Adam Cawley, skipper Mark James in the second row, and the evergreen Adam Collins in the centre, two of them converted by co-centre Ashley Sutton, as Neyland stay in sixth place and Llangwm remain in the bottom two above St Davids.
 

Adam Cawley - try for Neyland scrum half

 

Laugharne outside half makes a break
Picture by Ceri Coleman-Phillips

 

Troubled Saints humbled again

St Davids 0 - Laugharne 78

Laugharne kept themselves in touch with the teams at the top of Division Three West A as they comfortably disposed of St Davids.

Indeed, the home side endured another difficult 80 minutes, and the tone was set from kick off as Saints’ flanker Carl Evans burst clear but lacked support at the crucial moment, and The Cocklemen duly countered from deep in their own half and centre Tom Jameson sped over.

Jameson would go on to claim a hat trick of tries, and there were braces for his centre partner Tom Windsor, winger Luke Starkey, and outside half Owen Thomas.  Tom Davies, Mikey Williams
Carwyn Jones completed the scoring, while Jameson was also on song with the boot, landing nine of 12 conversions as The Cocklemen converted a 45-0 half time lead into a 78-0 victory.

 For The Saints, there were plus points in the displays of brothers and second row Chris Jenkins and flanker Evan, but they remain rooted to the bottom of the table without a point to their name this season.

 

Travel-sick Quins well beaten in Mid Wales

Tregaron 71 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 17

Pembroke Dock Harlequins seem to struggle to field a strong side for away matches and so this lengthy trek to Tregaron was always going to pose problems – and so it proved as they found themselves 38-0 adrift at the interval and conceded tries at regular intervals afterwards.

But it is to the Quins’ credit that they never gave up and almost pouched a bonus point as they came close to adding a fourth score to go with tries from props Josh Boswell and Jack Davies, plus second row Sam ‘Smiley’ Richards.

Tregaron had a hat-trick of tries apiece from No 8 Hopkin Davies and prop Dorian Pugh alongside winger Rhydian Jones, flanker Rhydian Davies, full back Dylan Harries, scrum half Arwel Jones and hooker Huw Jones.

Outside half Gwion Phillips chipped in with eight conversions from 11 attempts and Quins’ hard-working coach Ossie Boswell must be looking forward to the day when he can field a settled side!

 

Teifisiders take the verdict in table-top clash

Cardigan 15 - St Clears 10

Cardigan remain joint top of the table with Pembroke, although they have played a game more, after this hard-fought top of the table clash with St Clears at the King George Vth Ground.

The Teifisiders played well to register a 15-3 interval lead but were unable to add any further points as the Carmarthenshire Saints dug in well to come back to within a score as reward for some committed play.

And there were a few bitten finger nails amongst the home supporters as their team played the final five minutes with 13 men after Colin Davies and John Lumb had been shown yellow cards, but had the necessary resilience and defensive skills to hold out for a vital victory.

Busy flanker Kieran Hurley and skipper Llyr Griffiths, playing at No 8, scored tries for the Teifisiders as outside half Luke Rogers notched a conversion and penalty.

The Saints had a first-half penalty by Geraint Jones and the talented young fly half also converted their try by blind-side flanker Matthew Owens – but, try as they might, they were unable to break down the obdurate home defence any more and had to settle for a consolation bonus point.

Kieran Hurley - another try for Cardigan flanker