PHOTO:
Blues' full back Danny Morgan crashes over for the opening try

 

Feature match:

 

Division Three (West)

 

Blues bag victory in top clash

 

Haverfordwest 23 - Milford Haven 8

Haverfordwest took a giant step towards winning the section silverware as they completed the double over fellow contenders Milford Haven.

The Blues got on top up front in the first half when they nullified the Mariners’ attempts to use the wind that was blowing slightly in their favour to such a degree that they spent the majority of the first half in enemy territory whilst Milford had relatively few chances and had to settle for a Joseph Kiff penalty as they trailed 13-3 at the break.

The Mariners did regain parity in a much tighter second period but were never able to gain mastery over a home side in which skipper Jonathan Mason led by example alongside his lieutenants Gareth Phillips and Terry Lovell; whilst Liam Brown regularly caught the eye with some thumping tackles alongside centre Moji Naivulu.

The Blues got off to a good start when Mikey Jones converted a second-minute penalty and although the fly half saw his second penalty falling just under the crossbar he added the extra points to a cracking try scored by full back Danny Morgans, from a crash ball move which also featured Daryan Edwards, Jamie Zambas and Moji Naivulu.

At the end of the first quarter the Mariners were still camped in their own half but player/coach mark Wonnacott and skipper Jamie Parr managed to rally their players and from a period of pressure Kiff slotted an easy penalty.

Ten-point interval lead for the Blues

But Mikey Jones re-established the ten-point margin at half time and after Kiff had missed a penalty following a yellow card for home centre Dan Richards the Blues brought on Dan Birch into midfield after a long time out injured and within 20 seconds he showed his power with a 45-metre run to the line for a cracking solo try – although Jones could only hit the woodwork with his conversion attempt.

Good work by Sam Dolling, Dai Sweeny and Efan Morgan allowed Kiff to score a nice try wide out for the Mariners but visiting hopes of a comeback were soon wiped out as a powerful lineout drive from the Blues resulted in Brown crashing over for an unconverted try which ensured a deserved win for Haverfordwest.

But Milford’s young team played their part in an absorbing clash and deserved a bonus point – but they will have learned from this loss and are a team to watch for the future if they can stay together.
*They had prop Nathan Rees conveyed to hospital with an ankle injury and rugby lovers will wish him a speedy recovery.*

Haverfordwest: Danny Morgans: Darren Salmon; Moji Naivulu; Dan Richards; Scott Candler: Mikey Jones; Lee Summons: Huw Edwards; Jamie Zambas; Terry Lovell: Gareth Phillips; Liam Brown: Daryan Edwards; Mike Griffiths; Jon Mason (Capt). Replacements: Rich Little; Tom Parry; Dan Birch; Gareth John.

Milford Haven: Joseph Kiff: Lee Reilly; Jimmy Thomas; Dan Jenkins; Dean McSparron: Efan Morgan; Dan McClelland: Jamie Parr (Capt); Luke Ryan; Nathan Rees: Ben Johnson; Tom Manning: Sam Dolling; Dai Sweeny; Mark Wonnacott. Replacements: Chris Hall; Quinn McGrath; Ben Groves.




PHOTO:
Haverfordwest skipper Jon Mason leads by example
Picture by Matthew Kelly of Rawphotography.me.uk

 

Championship:

 

Mistakes cost Otters victory

 

Bridgend Athletic 10 - Narberth 10

Narberth picked up a point against a young Bridgend side but the Otters will undoubtedly look upon this as two points lost, rather than one point gained.

Because although they trailed by 3-0 at half time, the Otters had penalty misses in the 6^th and 21^st minutes from Nick Gale and failed to take four clear-cut scoring chances through knock-ons or forward passes.

Athletic winger Lewis Evans slotted his side’s early penalty before Narberth levelled with a Ianto Griffiths’ penalty and finally showed their cutting-edge capabilities when Jordan Roberts, who looked a real find, created the space for a Gareth Bateman surge and was on hand to supply Steve Martin with the final pass for the talented centre to race over for a quality try which Griffiths goaled.

But the Athletic made use of some possession in the closing quarter for Paul Brown to score a try which Evans goaled to tie things up – and perhaps a draw was the fairest result in the circumstances!
 

PHOTO:
Steve Martin - scored Narberth's only try

 

Division One (West):

 

Preseli Men pounce in first half

 

Crymych 17 - Gowerton 12

Crymych produced an excellent first half against Gowerton as they used the elements to play attacking rugby and establish a 17-5 lead before showing that they can also defend with spirit as they restricted Gowerton to a solitary converted try after the oranges to gain revenge for a 28-18 reverse when the teams last met.

More importantly, it allowed the Preseli Men to pouch a vital four points that keeps them out of the bottom three in the section table.

The Crymych back row of Rhys Davies, Tom and Joe Powell caught the eye alongside hooker Aled Harries as they secured quality possession for winger Nick Bevan and centre Morgan Griffiths to score tries, both converted by the other Rhys Davies at scrum half, who also kicked a penalty and tried hard to keep his pack going forward.

Gareth King responded with an unconverted try for Gowerton, just above Crymych in the table so equally eager for points, but with the home back row defending well alongside centre Sion Davies all they could muster was a try for Chris McKenzie which Josh Hamer converted.

PHOTO:
Nick Bevan - grabbed a try in Crymych's win

 

Seasiders so close at one stage

 

Tenby United  15 - Llanelli Wanderers 31

Tenby United trailed 12-3 at half time against Llanelli Wanderers but at one stage in the second period they fought back to lead 15-12 and raise hopes of a first success of the season.

Unfortunately, they made handling errors that proved important and the Wanderers claimed a bonus point win that also secured the double since they had already beaten the Seasiders at home by 42-8.

Outside half Scott James gave Tenby an early lead with a well-struck penalty but the Wanderers conceded a try to centre Rhydian Morgan and near the interval a push-over try from flanker Steffan Taffetsaufer which Johnny George converted.

The Seasiders lost back rower Rob Weston, replaced by Luke Hansford, but were boosted when Jack Guerreiro claimed a quality try from a Scott James’ kick – and Mark Heywood added a second try after good work by James and Luke Dedman, converted by James.

But the Wanderers fought back with a second Rhydian Morgan try which George goaled.

Winger Rhys Phillips also scored and centre Richard de Filippo added another try right on full time, both converted by George to leave Tenby still without a win in the league.

PHOTO:
Try scorer Mark Heywood drives forward for Tenby
Picture by Susan McKehon

 

Borderers come-back in vain

 

Dunvant 31 - Whitland 21

Whitland clawed their way back from a 31-point deficit before losing valiantly to table-topping Dunvant after battling hard – but sadly just missed out on any points because they finished up with three tries and still ten points adrift.

Dunvant had already secured a bonus point by half time thanks to four tries shared by second rower Hayden Baldwin, captain Mitchell Ford, centres Danny Davies and Sam Crowley, three of them converted by No 10 James Davies.

But they were only five points up after 31 minutes before the floodgates opened until the interval.
Baldwin added his second try but then a couple of yellow cards disrupted Dunvant’s battle plan and the Borderers did really well to score tries by back rower Marc Jones, full back Jonathan Thomas and second rower John Gardiner, all converted by Nico Setaro to show their willingness to battle hard, led by No 8 James Thomas’s yeoman efforts.


 

Division Two (West)

 

Seagulls shot down late on

 

Pontarddulais 20 - Fishguard & Goodwick 15

Fishguard and Goodwick came close to avenging a narrow home defeat against Pontarddulais but their opponents grabbed a late try by play-maker Matthew Jones to give them the double over the Seasiders.

As so often happens, the Seagulls conceded an early score as left winger Harry Williams sped through for a Bont try, converted by full back Jones – but by half time Fishguard had reduced the deficit to two points as skipper Simon James used his power to good effect as he ploughed through to the line.

Replacement Aled Thomas added a second home try but the Seagulls tied things up at 12-all when assistant coach Nathan Jenkins came on and showed his younger charges how to do it with a try converted by James Griffiths from wide out.

But Griffiths was yellow-carded and a Jones penalty put the Bont ahead again, only for Sam Kurtz to land three points for the Seagulls to make it 15-15.

They held a territorial advantage going into the closing minutes by Pontarddulais managed to break the stranglehold and Jones’ support play saw him claim the vital try, so the visitors had to settle for the consolation of a bonus point!
 
 

Division Three A (West):

 

Bonus point win double for Cardis

 

Cardigan 38 - Laugharne 12

Cardigan maintained their second spot in the table as they ran in six tries against Laugharne to pouch a bonus point – and also secure the double since they had already won 24-10 in Laugharne.

The Teifisiders were in control; during the first half as they opened up a 19-0 lead thanks to good tries from outside half Iestyn Crompton, second row Trystan Lewis and winger Rhydian Jenkins, two of them converted by Crompton.

To be fair to Laugharne, their determined efforts earned them tries for prop Dorian Harries and hooker Tom Waters, one converted by Tom Jameson, but they were unable to prevent Cardigan from adding further tries by centre Emyr Harries and full back Alun Jenkins after an earlier penalty try, plus conversions by Crompton and replacement Llyr Tobias which helped the Cardis to a 12^th win from 14 starts.

 

PHOTO:
Emyr Harries - good try for Cardigan centre

 
 

Wasps wilt to huge Palmer Cup defeat

 

Llangwm 0 - Pembroke 86

Pembroke ran in no fewer than 14 tries against a struggling Llangwm side at Pill Parks and created something of an unfortunate record which never gave up trying and received credit from Scarlets’ coach Geraint Lewis from the way that the Wasps battled in such adversity.

The teams play annually for the Palmer Cup over the aggregate scores over the two league matches and since Pembroke had already won at home by 107-0 this second huge success gave them a total Palmer Cup win by 193 points.

Coach Lewis was delighted by the fact that his squad is almost back to something like a full complement, but unfortunately it came at the wrong time for the beleaguered Wasps, who trailed 41-0 at the interval and had to opt for uncontested scrums for the rest of the match.

There were two tries apiece for flanker and skipper Jordan Gwilliam, winger James Skeels, outside half Gianluca Trimarco, scrum half Lewys Gibby, winger Billy Wood and flanker Dom Colman, plus brothers Sam and Toby Smith (playing respectively at No 8 and centre), with Toby also slotting eight conversions.
These are trying times for Llangwm but it is to be hoped that they can battle on – and a few signings from other local clubs’ second strings might also help keep such a smashing club afloat!
 

PHOTO:
Jordan Gwilliam - two tries for Pembroke skipper

 

Quins back to full strength

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 26 - Neyland 3

Pembroke Dock Harlequins’ coach Ossie Boswell was another pleased that his squad has now returned to something like full strength and although Neyland provided their typically gritty all-round performance it was the homesters that held the aces.

The Quins had won 28-19 at the Athletic Ground and in this return tussle at Bierspool they were 14-3 in front at half time after a Mark Riley penalty had put the All Blacks 3-0 ahead.

Flanker Barry parsons’ all-action support play earned him the Quins’ first try and just before the interval No 8 Kevin Bratcher added a second from a lineout drive, both converted by No 10 Lewis Davies, the second from wide out on the touchline.

Strong-running centre Jack Price announced his return from a long lay-off with a 45-metre charge down the middle for the Quins’ third try and second row Alex Pearce gave the Quins their bonus point with their fourth try, converted again by Lewis Davies.
 

PHOTO:
Jack Price - back in action with a try for the Quins

 

St Clears win the ‘Battle of the Saints’

 

St Clears 41 - St Davids 12

The traditional ‘Battle of the Saints’ went the way of home side St Clears – who gained revenge for their 22-10 defeat at the hands of the same opposition in November. 

On a heavy surface, the opening stages saw a real battle up front, with St Clears centre Liam Price missing an early chance to open the scoring when he hooked a penalty wide.

But the same player then crossed for the game’s first try 20 minutes in, and converted himself before winger Jonathan Gosling extended the lead to 12-0 with a corner try.

Gosling then finished well again out wide  - but the away Saints, who had the edge on their opponents in the scrum, pulled a try back before half time after an eight man shove culminated in young No 8 George Raymond powering over.

Centre Price completed his brace after half time and added the extras, before the visitors responded as a series of forward drives, with skipper Rhys ‘Loshin’ Price, second row Chris Jenkins and prop Ben Evans all prominent, set up another try for Raymond from close range.

However, it was St Clears who then finished the stronger, with flanker Jamie Harries and full back Matthew Lewis adding further tries, before Price picked up loose ball to complete his treble in the final moments as the away Saints tried to attack from their own line.

Price converted for a haul of 21 points – and the away side have now finished their campaign on the road for the season, with just a home game to come against Cardigan in April.


 

PHOTO:
Determined defending by St Davids' Bryan Phillips at Laugharne
Picture by Ceri Coleman Phillips