Rugby Reports 23rd January 2016
PHOTO:
Jason Ronowitz scores a try for Tenby
Picture by Susan McKehon
Division One West:
Seasiders denied in last minutes
Tenby 14 - Gorseinon 15
Tenby’s season of near misses continued at Gorseinon as they led until the closing moments but then conceded a 79
th minute penalty which Gorseinon Rod Phelps sent between the uprights to give his team the narrowest of victories.
The Seasiders had already lost 27-7 in Gorseinon but made a positive start as they had the better of the first half to lead by seven points as dynamic flanker Jason Ronowitz blasted his way through for a try after a dummy on the 22 left the cover defence helpless as he cantered in from 25 metres out - and No 10 Jonathan Rogers converted.
Gorseinon drew level within five minutes of the restart from a driving lineout rounded off by prop Fenton Holder, with Phelps adding the extra points – and the visitors took the lead with an unconverted try from centre Andrew Steele.
But winger Greg Lees- Griffiths followed up a clever chip ahead and charged down the attempted clearance to cross for an opportunist try which Rogers converted.
And that is the way the scoreline stayed until those fateful final seconds – and Phelps’ successful three-pointer which moved his team into seventh spot in the table – and kept the Seasiders still holding up the rest at the bottom!
Championship:
Otters savaged by Bargoed
Bargoed 50 - Narberth 20
Narberth found it hard going at Bargoed as they conceded four tries in each half against the previous season champions, whilst only managing two tries of their own.
Bargoed had already won by 41-17 at the Lewis Lloyd Ground and The Otters were already under the cosh at half time as they trailed by 24-6; their only points coming from two penalties by centre Nick Gale. But Bargoed would consider themselves fortune with their fourth score, a contentious penalty try awarded after a knock-on near the Narberth 22 also earned the unfortunate culprit a yellow card which left the visitors with 14 men for ten minutes!
Winger Liam Hutchings and No 8 Callum Tree did manage second half tries for the Otters, both converted by Gale but the homesters ran in another four scores, three of them converted by outside half Matthew Hurley to go with the two he had slotted before the oranges.
As well as their penalty try, Bargoed managed further tries by winger Louis Hudd (2), No 8 Ross Coombs, flanker Grant Rogers, hooker Leigh Meads, prop Rhys Morgan and replacement No 8 Lewis Wayman – and were worthy winners as they remain in the top five, with games in hand on the teams above them!
Division One (West):
Preseli Men disappointed by late penalty try
Dunvant 19 - Crymych 15
Crymych came within three minutes of claiming the surprise result of the day as they fought their way back from a 12-point interval deficit against section leaders Dunvant to lead 15-12 but in the 77
th minute the Preseli Men incurred the ire of the referee, who penalised them for a scrum offence some distance from their try line.
The Preseli Men could also consider themselves a little unlucky to be those points adrift at the interval as outside half James Davies landed four penalties for Dunvant but Crymych back rower Tom Powell had two claims for a try turned down because the match official was unsighted!
But with Guto Davies, Richard Sharp-Williams and Powell all covering well and the front row of Ifan James, Carwyn Rees and Lewis Davies grafting away in the set pieces, it was No 8 Guto Davies who claimed a close-range try for the visitors.
Outside half Rhys Davies was unable to add the extra points but slotted a penalty before converting Crymych’s second try, this time claimed by outstanding scrum half Rhodri Davies.
It seemed a three-point advantage for the Preseli Men would be enough to avenge a 27-9 home defeat by Dunvant but then came that late penalty try, followed by a James Davies conversion, that gave the table-toppers their 12
th win in 14 outings, whilst Crymych had to settle for a consolation bonus point.!
Borderers battle for deserved bonus point
Whitland 6 - Felinfoel 6
Whitland showed all their battling qualities as they shared the spoils against promotion-chasing Felinfoel and with a little more luck might have gained revenge for a 39-31 reverse when the teams last met.
But the conditions were far different then and The Borderers ground staff deserves every credit for getting the game under way, with points always going to be at a premium in the increasingly difficult conditions.
Indeed, there were only three points scored in a typically tight first period as Aled Roberts notched a penalty for Felinfoel.
Raff Williams led the Borderers’ pack by example and young No 8 Dewi Williams was outstanding alongside prop Jamie Styles until the latter went off injured, with centres Connor Edwards and Rhys Schivone always posing a threat and covering well at the back.
Nico Setaro hauled the Borderers level with a penalty and his second successful kick looked likely to give his team a narrow but deserved victory – but Roberts levelled matters with his second penalty late in the game to deny the homesters.
Division Two (West):
Seagulls suffer as Tycroes take the double
Fishguard & Goodwick 14 - Tycroes 30
Tycroes completed the double over Fishguard and Goodwick as they adapted to conditions at the rain-swept Moors far better than The Seagulls and stay in third place after leading 18-7 at half time and always looking the more likely to win thereafter.
Fishguard had been unlucky to lose 15-14 in Tycroes but tries from Elgan Griffiths and Micky Hopkins alongside a conversion and penalty by Dean Bromham, saw them in control at the half-way stage as The Seagulls could only muster a try by prop Ryan McVeigh, in the right place to receive a pop-up pass before he galloped 10 metres to the line, converted by outside half James Griffiths.
Griffiths also added the extra points to a penalty try awarded to Fishguard for a scrummaging offence – but Tycroes secured a bonus point for other tries claimed by Dylan Cooper and Owen Howells, one converted by Bromham.
PHOTO:
Neyland's Mark Riley gets his pass away against Milford
Division Three (West) A:
Mariners win battle in the mud
Milford 17 - Neyland 0
Milford Haven eased to a 42-17 victory at The Athletic Ground earlier in the season but had to graft even harder for the double in terrible conditions at The Observatory in a match where both teams deserved every credit for just completing the fixture.
The All Blacks had useful performances from youngsters Luke Dawes (second row) and Jack Harries (prop) alongside winger Craig Grice in defence but it was The Mariners who always held that cutting edge as half backs Dan McClelland and Joseph Kiff tried to keep their pack going forward as their back row of Sam Dolling, coach Mark Wonnacott and replacement Ben Johnston joined hooker Luke Ryan and full back Jamie Lewis in good performances despite the awful elements.
Experienced prop Jamie Parr grabbed Milford’s opening try from a driving maul and outstanding flanker Dolling doubled the lead in similar circumstances to put his side 10-0 ahead at the break.
The only score of the second period came when Mark Wonnacott rounded off a period of pressure as he ploughed over the line close enough to the posts for No 10 Kiff to notch the conversion which rounded off the scoring.
PHOTO:
Winger Sam Ellison makes a break for St Davids
Picture by Ceri Coleman Phillips
Saints suffer as Owain calls the shots
St Davids 0 - Laugharne 46
Despite terrible conditions, Laugharne played some enterprising rugby as they grabbed a bonus point win at St Davids – going fifth in the table in the process.
The Cocklemen got off to the perfect start when with less than a minute on the clock, a charged down clearance fell into the path of outside half Owain Thomas, who gathered his own chip ahead to score.
The Saints then failed to turn a spell of pressure into points, before Laugharne struck again when centre Aled Rees set up full back Luke Starkey to cross over – with the latter also converting.
And the visitors sealed a bonus point before the break with two more tries– as No 10 Thomas rounded off some good handling to score again, before skipper and No 8 Carl Smith ploughed over from a set scrum and Starkey added the extras.
As conditions worsened in the second half, centre Mike Williams cut through for a fifth Laugharne try, before flanker Lewis Owen took advantage of a loose ball to hack on and score, with Starkey converting.
But it was No 10 Thomas who had the final word, when he sniped down the blind side to complete a hat trick and a good day’s work for The Cocklemen – who host the same opponents next Saturday.
For the home side flanker Scott Riches stood out, as did No 8 and skipper for the day Anthony ‘Ianto’ Davies – playing his last game of senior rugby after many years of superb service to The Saints.
PHOTO:
Gareth Phillips wins lineout ball for The Blues
Blues bag bonus point win
Haverfordwest 34 - St Clears 8
Haverfordwest consolidated their position at the top of the section table as they eventually fended off the determined challenge of a St Clears’ team which had only 15 players, a number of them playing out of position to help the club’s cause.
Veteran Andy Deacon (now 42) typified their battling qualities as the back row man was included in the programme at prop but ended up playing scrum half!
But it was The Saints who looked as if they were in charge for the first quarter as they enjoyed a huge territorial advantage but could only muster a penalty from winger Darren Rees which wobbled over the bar after No 10 Shane Morgan had missed a more difficult chance in the first five minutes.
But then The Blues realised they had to adapt to the terrible conditions and after pivot Mikey Jones had kicked them into the left corner a concerted forward drive orchestrated by Dan John, Morgan Scale and skipper Jon Mason saw prop Terry Level pushed over for an unconverted try.
This was followed by a similarly close-range effort by second row Mike Phillips, who battled hard to gain possession with his namesake Gareth, and his try earned The Blues a 10-3 interval lead.
Young scrum half Tom Parry added a third unconverted try for Haverfordwest and then replacement Elise Vuli scored the try that ensured a bonus point and Mikey Jones added the extra points.
Left winger Scott Candler also got in the Blues’ scoring act before the Saints’ efforts were rewarded with a try by Daf Page but Haverfordwest had the final word when new prop Jon Sevenoaks claimed his team’s sixth try and Jones landed the conversion.