PHOTO:
Mariners' full  back Craig Barnett is hauled down
Picture by Joseph Kiff Photography

Featured Match:

 
Division Three (West) A:

 

Mariners out-gun depleted Teifisiders

 

Milford Haven 78 - Cardigan 25

Cardigan finished their season on a low note as they travelled to The Observatory Field with some key players missing and clearly suffering the after-shock of their defeat in the title decider against Haverfordwest - and found a Milford Haven side in scintillating form as they raced to a thoroughly deserved 47-3 lead by half time.

The Mariners, boosted by the inclusion of talented Quins' centre Jack Price, Haverfordwest full back Craig Barnett and veteran Neyland second row Chris Busby, plus the return of pacy winger Jordan Roberts from Narberth, swarmed all over the Teifisiders and at one stage led 78-8 before player coach Mark Wonnacott took himself off at half time and others in the third quarter, enabling the visitors to score four tries and at least pouch a bonus point that came as small  consolation after they had promised so much for most of their campaign.
 

Sam stars for rampant Mariners

Leading the way for the home side was livewire flanker Sam Dolling, with a first half hat-trick of tries, the first coming from close range but wide out, the second as he burst through and put in a clever little chip where he was able to regather and speed to the line and the third as he again made the Teifisiders regret their ability to pin him down.

Dolling also featured in several other tries and the whole Mariners' pack deserves praise for their pace and power, with prop Jamie Parr going close and fellow front man Mike Cockburn playing well alongside  Ryan Mansell and Luke Ryan – so that young half backs Efan Morgan and Dan McClelland exerted a real influence.
 

‘Barnie’ poses a real threat

Another major influence for the rampant Mariners was full back Barnett by posing a constant threat as midfield men Dan Jenkins and Jimmy Thomas looked to bring him into the game - and Barnet's support play earned him three tries. He also landed nine conversions from all angles for a personal haul of 33 points - and hit the crossbar with another difficult attempt!

Player/coach scored a good support try in the first half as reward for his powerful support play, whilst Jordan Roberts (2), centres Jimmy Thomas and Dan Jenkins also crossed for tries - and livewire second row Dai Sweeny powered through for their final try.

At that stage a three-figure sore seemed a possibility for Milford Haven but Cardigan deserve every credit for battling back as Llyr Jones and replacement Iestyn Crompton called the shots - and skipper Llyr Griffiths and centre Emyr Harries grabbed tries, one converted by Llyr Jones to go with a first-half penalty by Luke Rogers.

Milford Haven: Craig Barnett: Jimmy Thomas; Jack Price; Dan Jenkins; Jordan Roberts: Dan McClelland; Efan Morgan: Jamie Parr; Luke Ryan; Mike Cockburn:  Dai Sweeny; Chris Busby: Sam Dolling; Ryan Mansell; Mark Wonnacott. Replacements: Dean McSparron; Ben Groves; Ned Smithies.

Cardigan: Alun Jenkins: Rhydian Jenkins; Emyr Harries; Llyr Tobias; Gruffydd Lewis; Luke Rogers; Llyr Jones: Ifan James; Aled Phillips; Tomos Evans: Darren Harries; John Evans: William Brice; Sion Hughes; Llyr Griffiths. Replacements: Iestyn Crompton; Steffan Crompton.

PHOTO:
The Mariners go over for a try
Picture by Joseph Kiff Photography

Division One (West):
 

Crymych fail to turn pressure into points

 

Kidwelly 24 - Crymych 21

Crymych travelled to third-placed Kidwelly in search of another away win against top clubs in this tough section but fell just short and had to settle for the consolation of a bonus point for getting within seven points of their opponents.

The Preseli Men were trailing by 17-14 at half way as Rhys Davies and Guto Davies scored good tries, both converted by Rhys Davies - and they added a third in the second half by flanker Tom Powell as reward for another dynamic display by the Preseli Men's back row trio and a front five which outscrummaged their third-placed opponents and generally held the edge up front.

But they failed to turn a territorial and possession advantage into more points whilst the opposition took their chances and were rewarded with a double over Crymych since they had also won narrowly (16-12) at Parc Lloyd Thomas recently.


 

Seasiders suffer another heavy defeat

 

Tenby 25 - Waunarlwydd 78

Tenby United went down to another heavy defeat at Heywood Lane as Waunarlwydd ran in 21 tries against the Seasiders, nine of them converted, although a typically late and brave comeback saw them claim a consolation bonus point.

The Seasiders were already 10-40 adrift at the interval yet they took an early lead with a penalty by outside half Tom 'Turbo' Lewis, who also grabbed their other first-half points from an interception try which he also converted

But by the time that the oranges arrived Waunarlwydd had crossed the whitewash six times, five of their tries converted by full back Lee Evans. Hooker Andrew Lloyd and outside half Johnny Lewis claimed their first two tries, followed by others from centre Dan Fox, winger Alan Pope and prop Chris Sealey.
 

Similar story in second half

It was a similar story after the break as Waunarlwydd held the edge up front in the third quarter and both Lewis and Fox grabbed second tries whilst prop Steff Jones, centre Dan Walters, scrum half Lee Delalio and winger Andrew Rees-Sprowatt also got their names on the try sheet, with Evans adding the extra points to four of them.

To be fair to the Seasiders, they showed great resilience in scoring three tries of their own as winger Tom Dennis, centre Mauritz Neumann and Dennis again scored late tries so that although the homesters still came nowhere near their first win they did at least claim a consolation bonus point for their efforts.

PHOTO:
Tom Dennis dives over for a try for Tenby United
Picture Brian McKehon

 

Borderers miss golden opportunity!

 

Whitland 11 - Gowerton 17

Whitland missed a huge chance to pull away from the bottom of two as they let an 8-3 half time lead slip against Gowerton in a performance described as ‘disappointingly inept’ by team manager Kristian Richards.
The Borderers were guilty of missing scoring chances at key times – and after losing their way in the final quarter, were eventually thankful for a last gasp penalty that outside half Nico Setaro landed to earn his side a losing bonus point.

It was Setaro who had put Whitland ahead early on with a 20 metre penalty, but after he was narrowly wide with a more difficult attempt – Gowerton No 10 Josh Hamer used the breeze to good effect as he thumped over a three pointer from just inside his own half.

The home side then failed to make several good periods of pressure count – until the final moments of the half when a warp around move in midfield saw Sean Coles link with full back Scott Newton, who in turn put winger Deian Augustus over in the corner for an unconverted score.


Golden chances blown


But early in the second half, The Borderers blew two golden chances to extend the lead as centre Johnny Thomas knocked on with the line at his mercy following a break by Setaro – before the latter again broke free down the left but his final pass to winger Coles failed to go to hand.

The missed opportunities proved pivotal as centre Gareth John broke through in midfield to score for Gowerton, and Hamer landed the difficult conversion.

The No 10 then pulled a penalty wide but with three minutes left, the visitors sealed the win when a strong run from replacement centre Charlie Jones set up a corner try for winger Gwyn Davies. Hamer added the extras from the touchline to make it 17-8 and seemingly ensure The Borderers finished with nothing.
But from the game’s final play, flanker Marc Jones drove forward to help set up a penalty chance 25 metres out – and Setaro held his nerve to seal a bonus point that at least takes Whitland out of the bottom two.

PHOTO: Whitland seal possession

Division Three (West) A:
 

Scarlets too strong for Saints

 

St Clears 3 - Pembroke 46

Pembroke are undefeated since December and they continued their excellent run of form, and points galore, as they followed up a previous 60-0 home drubbing of St Clears with this second big win to create a high-scoring double over the Saints.

The Scarlets were already home and dry at the half way stage as they were ahead by 22-3 and what pleased coach Geraint Lewis wasn't just the maximum points from a quality performance but the fact that included in his squad were no fewer than seven teenagers, including three 18 year olds who all got their names on the scoresheet.

Strong-running centre Jack Parkinson scored the Scarlets' sixth and eighth tries, the second a length of the field effort where forwards and backs combined, whilst scrum half Lewys Gibby scored a typically powerful try as he picked up at a scrum 30 metres out and brushed off several would-be tacklers en route to the line, and flanker Jordan Evans came on after half time and scored his first-ever senior try.

In the first half centre Toby Smith gave Pembroke an early lead and outside half Luca Trimarco waltzed through for the second - before full back Rhys Johns added the third, converted by Toby Smith, from an astute Gibby cross-kick.

Smith then added his second; again rounding off a move that spread almost the length of the field, and all the Saints could muster was a solitary penalty.

Pembroke continued to call the shots after half time and there were further tries by winger Tom Kinnear, on at the break for his debut, plus Parkinson and the influential Gibby, with Smith slotting two more conversions in a win that leaves the Scarlets with just a rearranged fixture against Milford Haven to round off their campaign.