PHOTO:
Carl Williams goes on the charge for the Quins

 

Feature Match – Division Three (West) A

‘Barney’ bamboozles battling Quins

Haverfordwest 46 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 3

Craig Barnett was again the catalyst for Haverfordwest’s big win over Pembroke Dock Harlequins as the outside half contributed 26 points from a try hat-trick and another 11 points from his trusty boot.

But The Quins played their part and coaches Ian Osbourne and Neil Machin could justifiably argue that the final scoreline didn’t reflect their part in the game, especially since they deservedly took an early lead with a Rhys Bradney penalty, had Rhys Baker and Carl Williams threatening in midfield, and dominated forward play for the first 20 minutes - and were only 3-8 adrift at half time.

But then Terry Lovell, Karl Bush, Matty Phillips and the rest of the home pack asserted itself as The Quins ran out of steam and The Blues ended up with seven tries.

Dean Wilcox, Rob Hearne and Liam Scourfield led the Quins pack but once Barnett landed his penalty and then kicked cleverly for winger Josh Atherton to hand off his marker and speed 50 metres to the line.
Bradney missed a second penalty chance for The Quins but it was evident that Haverfordwest had turned the tide.

Matty Phillips was involved in The Blues’ opening try of the second half as he put Barnett away for a try the No 10 also converted before replacements Lovell and Dan Richards laid the platform for another seven points for Barnett.

Bradney almost scored a try for The Quins from a quickly taken penalty but when play was switched to the other end it was Liam Mainwaring who was the supplier of the pass for Barnett to add another seven points.

In the closing stages there were also tries for new winger Ben Alba (set up by Gareth Owen), the marauding Terry Lovell and Mainwaring, one converted by Barnett to give Haverfordwest their second win and third place in the table – whilst The Quins certainly have hope of improvement if they can maintain this level of commitment.

Haverfordwest: Rhys Baker: Josh Atherton; Gareth Owen; Gareth John; Ben Alba: Craig Barnett; Lee Summons: Jamie Zambas; Matthew Clayton; Ben Llewellin: Karl Bush; Jack Clancy: Steve Thomas; Matty Phillips; Gethin Thomas. Replacements: Terry Lovell; Morgan Layton; Dan Richards; Liam Mainwaring; Ben Skudder.

Pembroke Dock Harlequins: Brad Hughes: James Balkwill; Carl Williams; Hywel Baker; Nathan Owen; Aaron Cookson; Rhys Bradney: Dean Wilcox; George Bellmaine; Rob Hearne: Martin Culley; Josh White: Alex Pearce; Sam James; Liam Scourfield. Replacements: Gary Burns; Ben Gibby; Ellis Williams.
 

Championship:

 

Otters graft their way to good away win

Newcastle Emlyn 3 - Narberth 15

Narberth have sometimes found Ddol Wiber to be a bit of a bogey ground but The Otters beat Newcastle Emlyn in a really tough tussle after the teams shared six points in an absorbing first half but then showed discipline and commitment to add an unanswered 12 points after the break that will have pleased Sean Gale and his squad.

Ianto Griffiths kicked The Otters ahead in the 15th minute and they stayed 3-0 up until the 29th minute, when Shaun Leonard levelled matters at half time with an Emlyn penalty.

Both defences had been very strong but Andrew Cooke turned matters the visitors’ way with excellent turn-over ball and centre Jack Price helped matters before play was switched by Kieran Jones for winger Gethin Gibby to claim an unconverted try.

Skipper Alex Jenkins also caught the eye up front before Rhys Lane and Nick Gale came off the bench to revitalise Narberth and it was Gale who made things safe with a late try converted by Griffiths after Price was again involved alongside Yannick Parker before Gale sped over the whitewash.
 

PHOTO:
Nick Gale - vital late try for Narberth

 

Division One (West):

 

Borderers beaten by a single point!

Whitland 18 - Yr Hendy 19

Whitland slipped to a first loss of the season against Yr Hendy - a match marred by bad injuries to three visiting players.

The Borderers were 5-8 down half time as winger Aaron Ebsworth scored their try with full back Jake Newman crossing for the visitors, to go with a Rhydian Morris penalty.

No 6 Dyfan Williams extended the Hendy lead in the second half with a try and Morris added two more penalties – before Whitland fought back with a try from winger Liam Price with a conversion and two penalties from the boot of Nico Setaro.

It meant a tense ending but the home side were unable to maintain their 100% record.


 

PHOTO:
Liam Price - try for Whitland in narrow defeat

 

Preseli Men come back in vain

Crymych 21 - Felinfoel 25

Powerful back rower Osian Davies grabbed a hat-trick of tries for Crymych as they produced an excellent second half revival after trailing 25-7 at the oranges - but he still ended up on the losing side as The Teifisiders were unable to turn late pressure into more points and in the final analysis had to settle for a losing bonus point when they might have scooped the lot!

Davies' first try owed much to the endeavours in the tight from skipper Rhys 'Beaky' Davies, Matthew Freebury, Jason Nicholls, Carwyn Rees and Morgan James, with Jake Jenkins adding the extra points.

But Felinfoel showed why they are doing so well as they looked to build the platforms for attack which saw hooker Rhys Evans, second row Andrew Thomas and centre Jordan Dunn score tries, supplemented by two conversions and two penalties from fly half Aled Roberts.

Whatever coach Randall Williams said to The Preseli Men at half time it certainly worked because they gradually gained the back-row ascendancy through Osian Davies, Sion Colella and Aled Harries, which resulted in two further scores for Davies, both converted by replacement centre Ifan Phillips.

Felinfoel held on for victory however but knew they could well have lost had Crymych not missed tackles and given them too big of an advantage in that first period!

 

Seasiders still seek first success

Tenby United 14 - Gowerton 26

Tenby’s fightback against Gowerton proved in vain as The Seasiders left themselves too much to do by trailing 26-0 at the break.

Gareth Thomas’ side went in seeking a first league win of the season at Heywood Lane, but were outclassed for 40 minutes as Scott Potts, Lewis Bradley, and Matthew Cherry scored tries for the visitors, with No 10 Paul Spowart landing a conversion and two penalties.

After an error strewn first half though, Tenby’s handling improved in the second half and they had tries through winger Geraint Powell and replacement Moritz Neumann, with Lloyd Thomas converting both.
But it wasn’t enough to prevent them from slipping to a fourth straight defeat.

PHOTO:
Tenby compete strongly for possession
Picture by Brian McKehon

           

Division Two (West):

 

Scarlets lose unbeaten home record

Pembroke 13 - Burry Port 15

Pembroke lost their second successive Division Two (West) encounter as they missed a string of chances to go down by two points to a battling Burry Port side which defended well and certainly played their 'get out of jail' card at Crickmarren as they also inflicted The Scarlets' first home defeat for nigh on two seasons.

Yet The Scarlets opened up a ten-point gap in the first quarter thanks to the work-rate of flankers Alex Thomas and Rhodri Walters, whilst Fraser James had a good game on his return to action, and were reward thanks to a Toby Smith penalty and his conversion of a Dan Colley try after the centre benefitted from a tapped penalty to cross the whitewash.

Pembroke had other chances of penalty points but spurned them in the quest for try points - and right on the interval it was Burry Port who slotted a penalty via the boot of scrum half Ben Williams.

Even worse came after the interval as the visitors drew level with a soft try from Iwan Rogers which Williams goaled, but Toby Smith notched a second penalty to put Pembroke ahead - only for Burry Port to claim a second try, this time from full back Steff Powell.

The Scarlets were in command for the final 20 minutes but were unable to turn pressure into points as passes were dropped and wrong options taken which resulted in defeat - but part of a sharp learning curve for Geraint Lewis's team at this higher level.
 

PHOTO:
Dan Colley - try in vain for Pembroke

 

Division Three (A):

 

All Blacks fitness pays dividends

Neyland 22 - Llanybydder 16

Neyland stay top of the section table after a deserved win over a Llanybydder side which was also in the top three and showed why in a gritty performance.

But it was The All Blacks who led 7-6 at half time and retained control for much of the second half to claim a win which also earned a bonus point for scoring four tries.

Neyland opened their account with a well-worked try rounded off by talented winger Patrick Bellerby before outside half Mark Riley kicked the conversion - and all Llanybydder could score was a brace of penalties from Steff Richards.

Richards also contributed a third penalty later on and converted a last-ditch try by scrum half Llyr Jones - but by then powerful No 8 Ben Williams had stormed over for a brace of tries alongside one from replacement hooker Richard Jones to set the seal on a third win on the trot for the All Blacks, whose coaches Graham Richards and Steve Evans must have been delighted by the work-rate and skill levels of their young team.

PHOTO:
Neyland try scorer Patrick Bellerby charges down a kick 

  
 

Mariners maul struggling Saints

St Davids 5 - Milford Haven 55

It’s three from three for Milford Haven in Division Three (West) A as they ran in nine tries to seal their expected bonus point win at St Davids.

The Saints failed to raise a side to go to Nantgaredig in the National Bowl last week but started like they were keen to make amends, with their pack dominating possession in the early going.

But it ultimately came to nothing and from their first real chance to attack, Milford struck as centre and skipper Jamie Lewis sauntered over from long range – and No 10 James Trueman converted.

The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern and Dan Jenkins cut over for Milford’s second try, Trueman again adding the extras, and from a driving lineout, hooker Luke Ryan touched down to make it 0-19.

The visitors promptly added two more tries before the break; full back Lee Riley going over from a slick run around move in midfield, Trueman converting, before winger Garin Gardner touched down out wide.
It was The Saints who struck first in the second half though, as centre Gavin Smith pounced on a loose ball 25 metres out and showed a good turn of pace to reach the line.

But Milford continued to attack from deep and it resulted in further tries for winger Craig Thomas and replacement Leigh Devonald – and Joe Kiff marked his return by rounding off a length of the field team move by cutting under the posts.

The home side pushed hard for another consolation score late on and prop Ben Evans was denied in the corner – but again Milford broke out from defence and Gardiner finished off their last attack with a neat dummy to score.

Trueman added two more second-half conversions as The Mariners maintained their unbeaten league start.



PHOTO:
Milford Haven plough forward against the Saints
 

Laugharne dominate second half

Laugharne 45 - Llangwm 13

Llangwm showed that they are building a solid side as they battled hard at Laugharne to trail by only 14-10 at half time but faded after the oranges as they could only add a second Luke Hayman penalty whilst the home side scored another 31 points.

Hayman had slotted a penalty and the conversion of big Josh Hicks' deserved score in that first period after Laugharne had opened up an early 14-0 lead thanks to a brace of tries from the influential Tom Jameson, both converted by centre Steff Davies.

But Laugharne took control in the second period and added further tries from Tom Windsor, Owain Thomas (2), Lee Thomas and Mikey Williams, three of them goaled by Davies, as Laugharne pouched five points whist Llangwm journeyed back into Pembrokeshire with nothing to show for their part in an entertaining clash.

 

PHOTO:
Tom Jameson - two tries as Laugharne win well

 

Teifisiders edge home in tight tussle

Tregaron 9 - Cardigan 12

There was plenty of running rugby despite poor conditions at Tregaron, who pushed visiting Cardigan all the way, before losing by 9-12 - the score at half time as neither team was able to add further points since defences held firm at both ends of the pitch.

The home side used their strong pack to launch early attacks and as The Teifisiders were penalised so Tregaron full back Huw Bonner landed three penalties.

But Cardigan replied with two tries, the first from the pace of winger Rhydian Jenkins and the second from a move successfully rounded off by skipper John Lumb.

Outside half Iwan John added a conversion and there was some good covering play after the interval from Gruff Lewis, Dean Harries and Tom Taylor as Cardigan maintained their focus in defence - but just missed out in adding more points as the greasy ball posed problems for both teams in the ball-retention stakes!

PHOTO:
Rhydian Jenkins - try for Cardigan in narrow win at Tregaron