Championship League:

 

Thriller ends up all square

 

Narberth 36 Cardiff Met 36

 
Matches between Narberth and Cardiff Met are traditionally high-scoring and this tussle at the Lewis Lloyd Ground was no exception as the Otters trailed 17-20 at half time but squared matters up as both sets of supporters chewed their nails prior to the finish.
 
Narberth full back Johnny Morgan showed what a good player he is now with excellent two tries, both converted by Ianto Griffiths to go with a penalty for the fly half but the students edged the 40 minutes with tries by Pierre Tucker and Ben Ellis, plus both conversions and two penalties by outside half Marcus Cooke.
 
Replacement winger Nick Gale hauled the Otters level with a long-range penalty before Griffiths end Cooke exchanged two penalties each – and then Gale scored a good try which Griffiths converted to put Narberth 33-26 in front.
 
The Cardiff-based students were anything but finished, though, as centre Sam Jones scored a try and Morris landed the conversion and then followed up with a late penalty. But there was still time for a last Narberth attack and replacement James Stephenson coolly slotted a dropped goal that allowed both teams to share the spoils, perhaps the fairest result after so much entertaining rugby.

Johnny Morgan - two tries for Narberth full back

 

Division One (West):

 

Fraser fires fantastic fight-back

 

Ammanford 31 Whitland 40

 
Two tries from pacy winger Fraser Watson helped Whitland gain their second success of the season as they fought their way back from a 21-20 interval deficit at Ammanford to deservedly win by nine points.
 
Nico Setaro put the Borderers in front with a penalty before Ammanford responded with tries by centres James Turrell and Tim Rees, both converted by Rhydian Morris.
 
But Watson then exerted his influence as he intercepted a loose pass and sped to the line for Setaro to add the extra points, as he did when centre Lee Glanville also scored a good Borderers’ try.
 
Setaro also landed a penalty but Ammanford went in front again just before half time when No 8 and skipper Emyr Price powered his way over for Morris to convert.
Back came Whitland at the start of the second half as Setaro landed a penalty before scrum half Daf Evans sliced over for an unconverted try – and although Morris reduced the deficit with a penalty a second score from Watson kept the Borderers in control.
 
A Chris Moore try, converted by Morris, set the alarm bells ringing in the Whitland camp – but winger Duncan Evans scored a try for Whitland which Jonathan Thomas goaled to set the seal on a cracking Whitland away win.

Fraser Watson - two tries for pacy Whitland winger

 

Preseli Men well beaten at ‘One Eyelid’

 
Waunarlwydd 35 Crymych 15

 

Crymych were not at their best for their trip to Waunarlwydd and paid the price at they went down to defeat after trailing 20-3 at half time.
 
The team known as ‘One Eyelid’ to rugby players in Pembrokeshire had tries from Rob Hill, Simon Hart, Dan Fox, Dominic Cambriani and Josh Hammett, with two conversions and two penalties by Lee Smith.
 
Adam Phillips claimed the only first-half points for the Preseli Men with a penalty and there were good tries after the interval from scrum half Dyfan Dafydd and winger Guto Griffiths, one converted by Phillips – but Crymych were unable to wrest the initiative away after a slow start.

Guto Griffiths - try for Crymych winger

 

Division Three (West):

Super Seasiders stay on top

 

Tenby United 46 Tumble 10

 
Tenby United remained top of the table as reward for a convincing win against a Tumble side which had lost only once before but had little answer to the Seasiders’ powerful brand of all-action rugby.
 
Gareth Thomas’s boys had already served notice of intent in a first half where they led 20-0 thanks to tries by hooker Gareth Jones, flanker Luke Hansford and centre Toby Smith, alongside one conversion and a penalty by Jonathan Rogers.
 
Further tries from winger Dan Colley, No 9 Rogers and another for Toby Smith, two converted by Rogers, pushed the Seasiders into an unassailable 39-0 and although they took their foot off the gas to allow Tumble to record consolation tries from centre James Owen and scrum half Chris Davies, it was Tenby United who had the final word when winger Damian Miller raced over for a try which was goaled by Rogers to keep the Seasiders still two points ahead of Penclawdd at the top of the section table.
 

Blues battle in vain

Pontarddulais 30 Haverfordwest 24

Haverfordwest battled all the way against fourth-placed Pontarddulais but mustered just a bonus point to show for their efforts and see them with five defeats in a row from their disappointing start of the league season.
 
The Blues were 20-13 behind at the half-way mark as the home side had a penalty try alongside a five-pointer from winger Steffan Williams, plus both conversions and two penalties by centre Ethan Miles – whilst the visitors responded with a good try by scrum half Matthew Morgan alongside the conversion and two penalties by No 10 Ashley Sutton.

Sutton also kicked two more penalties after the oranges as winger Scott Candler also got his name on the try sheet – but The Bont had unconverted tries by second row Phil White and scrum half Martin Rees which eased them to victory – and also gave them a bonus point for scoring four tries.

 

Matthew Morgan - another try for Haverfordwest scrum half

 

 

Cardis crushed by promotion possibles

 

Gorseinon 61 Cardigan 27

Gorseinon showed why they are likely to be promotion contenders as they ran in nine tries against a Cardigan outfit who were unable to pouch any points despite scoring three tries and securing a healthy 27-point tally.
 
The home side were already 37-10 in front at half time and their attack focus was led by Josh Simmonds (3) and Nick Southgate (2) alongside other tries by Sean Haycock, Sam Evans, Andrew Steele and Matthew Stoneham, who completed a haul of 21 points with five conversions and two penalties.
 
Centres Aled James and Emyr Harries raced over for Cardigan tries, as did left winger Rhydian Jenkins, with conversions from Iestyn Crompton (2) and Llyr Tobias alongside two well-struck penalties from Crompton.

Rhydian Jenkins - scored a good try for Cardigan

 

Swalec Bowl:

 

All Blacks pounded at the Athletic Ground

 

Neyland 0 Nantgaredig 52

 
Neyland bowed out of the Swalec Bowl as they encountered a Nantgaredig side in top form as the visitors ran in eight tries, six of them converted, and prevented the All Blacks from getting on the scoresheet.
 
The All Blacks were without several players but had useful performances from Craig Brice up front and Gregg Miller in defence, whilst Brian Warlow and Adam Pullen came in to show their willingness to be involved.
 
Scrum half Rhydian Evans led the Nantgaredig attacks as he scored three tries alongside a brace apiece for winger Edward Rees and Johnno Owen, and another by outside half Rhodri Jones, who also notched six conversions.
 

Scarlets snatch last-gasp verdict

 

Pembroke 19 Aber University 18

Pembroke secured entry to the second round of the Swalec Bowl as a penalty try in the closing seconds was converted by Lewis Davies to snatch the game against Aberystwyth University out of the fire by the smallest of margins.
 
The Scarlets trailed 18-12 but they secured a series of close-range scrums from which the students transgressed and the referee finally lost patience and ran between the posts to signify the penalty try – and No 10 Davies maintained his nerve to notch the simple conversion.
 
Second row Will Edwards had put Pembroke ahead in the first half with a try converted by Davies but Aber University fought back to lead 13-7 at half time through unconverted tries by Chris Dennehy and Josh Delph alongside a Patrick James’ penalty.
 
Jordan Gwilliam claimed the Scarlets’ second try after good work by Sean Willington and Edwards but the students were six points clear after Matthew Spear had claimed their third try.
 
It seemed as if Pembroke might miss out but then came that late penalty try and conversion to delight the hardy band of supporters at Crickmarren, leaving the students to make the long journey home up the Cardigan coastline reflecting on what might have been.
 

Jordan Gwilliam - try for Pembroke back row man

 

Pembrokeshire Knock Out Cup:

 

Quins too strong for gritty Saints

 

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 32 St Davids 14

 
Pembroke Dock moved into the second round of the KO Cup as they proved too strong and streetwise for a gritty St Davids outfit who were 17 points adrift at half time, conceded ten points at the start of the second period, but claimed two tries as consolation for their efforts.
 
Rhys Martin, Ryan Neilson and Alex Pearce (after a 50 metre run) claimed the first-half tries for the Quins, one converted by Adam John, as new fly half Charlie Berry impressed on his debut.
 
Quins’ left winger Neilson added his second try soon after the restart and there was a brace of tries for Barry Parsons as reward for his industry up front, whilst centre Jack Jones and scrum half Geraint Morris scored tries for the Saints, the latter from a length of the field move, both converted by Morris.