Rugby News . . . from PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

KO Cup – First Round:

Quins cause KO Cup shock

Haverfordwest 11 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 13

Pembroke Dock Harlequins caused one of the major shocks of recent KO Cup years as they travelled to Merlins Bridge for this floodlit tussle against Haverfordwest and went away with a narrow, but deserved victory.

The Blues might point out that they were without some key players but the Quins were also not at full strength but adapted far better to the very heavy conditions far better as they outscored the Blues by two tries to one and were well on top in the forward exchanges as they lasted the pace far better than most pundits would have expected.

With Haverfordwest currently top of Division Three (West) and having a 100% record, and with the Quins winning their last three games after losing five on the bounce, it was felt that the Blues would win with a little in hand but this was a Quins’ performance of some spirit and no little skill as they tore into the opposition from the outset and after hooker Neil Brace had missed an early penalty they grabbed an unconverted try as they set up a period of pressure on the right and cleverly switched play left where No 8 Gareth Scourfield was lurking with intent to dive over the line.

At the other end, Steve Williams missed a penalty for the Blues before they drew level with a similar move as they first established a strong platform and swept play to the flank where Graham Badham supplied winger Sion Morgan with the scoring pass that made the score 5-all at the break.

Equally combative second half

The second period was equally as combative in the increasingly muddy conditions and Steve Williams missed a penalty for Haverfordwest before Brace rapped the post with a penalty attempt for the Quins in a period of intense pressure where their efforts were finally rewarded when David Manning was driven over by the rampaging Quins’ pack, where the front row of Dean Wilcox, Neil Brace and Richard McIntyre were outstanding.

The Blues had another penalty miss by Williams in the tricky conditions and spurned a golden overlap opportunity when the final pass was knocked on – but Steve Williams added his second penalty late on to nudge the homesters in front by a point.

But with coach Mike Scourfield and Tom Kaijaks on and making a big impact alongside the other Quins forwards, their reward was a late penalty which Neil Brace slotted with aplomb. His delight was evident and so was that of the other Quins’ players and supporters after they had survived a nerve-wracking final five minutes of a match that was well refereed by Adrian Slade (Milford Haven).

Haverfordwest: Ollie Reyland; Sion Morgan; Graham Badham; Dan Birch; Jamie Lewis; Steve Williams; Lee Summons;  Danny Miners; Sam van Der Valk; Neil Phillips; Carwyn Jones; Richard Walters; Dan John; Dane Pindair; Alun Harries. Replacements: Jonathan Whitticombe; Jarred Bayliss; David O’Leary, Ieuan Jones, Graham Jenkins; Tom Pellowe; Ben John.

Pembroke Dock Harlequins: Paul Jonkers; Liam Smith; Simon Coleman; Rhys Marchant; Lewis Beecher; Adam Cawley; Dai Rees; Dean Wilcox; Neil Brace; Richard McIntyre: Mark van Rhyan; Dave Griffiths; Steffan Halwood; David Manning; Gareth Scourfield. Replacements: Tom Kaijaks; Mike Scourfield; Sam Irwin; Danny Wood.