PHOTO:
Shaun Dalling slips a tackle for Pembroke against Laugharne

 

Featured Match:
 
Division Three (West) A:

 

Scarlets still on course for promotion

Pembroke 26 - Laugharne 12

Pembroke’s ambitions for promotion received a significant boost as they beat third-placed Laugharne for the second time in three weeks and also pouched a bonus point for scoring four tries.

The Scarlets’ squad strength was again shown against such strong opposition as assistant coach Cyle Wetherall, normally a back row man, made his debut as hooker and played well, as did replacement scrum half Iori Roberts, who came in at the last minute as regular scrum half Tom Lewis was unwell in the pre-math warm up.

Laugharne also made changes as top-try scorer Mikey Williams moved out of the back row and into the centre, and with Tom Jameson ay No 10 in the absence of regular incumbent Owain Thomas, but they were still able to push Pembroke with skipper Carl Smith leading by example.

Flying start for Scarlets

But it was Pembroke who got the game off to a flier with an early try by centre Fraser James after a clever chip over the top by fly half Toby Smith allowed centre Shaun Dalling to gather and supply the scoring pass and the conversion after James had brushed off his marker and cut inside the cover defence.

The Scarlets soon added a second when winger Barry Alderman John rounded off a good move initiated by Sam Smith, Dom Colman and Rhodri Walters – and they added the try of the match when full back Luke Hartland fielded an attempted clearance and beat several defenders on a scintillating run to the line for Dalling to add the extra points.

Laugharne refused to lie down under pressure, though, and scored an unconverted try from winger Gareth Spiers before the oranges – and forced their way back into contention when a long pass from Toby Smith was intercepted by Mikey Williams and Jameson slotted the conversion.

But Pembroke had the vital final word when powerful second row Will Edwards was perfectly placed to round off a concerted handling move and Dalling converted to put his side seven points in front of nearest rivals Milford Haven, and still with a game in hand.

Pembroke: Luke Hartland: Barry Alderman John; Shaun Dalling; Fraser James; Elliott Evans: Toby Smith; Iori Roberts: Lloyd Davies; Cyle Wetherall; Johnny Palmer: Scott Powell (Capt); Will Edwards: Dom Colman; Rhodri Walters; Sam Smith. Replacements: Rhys Manwaring; Owain Johns; Alex Wilkes; Alex Thomas; Simon Stanford.

Laugharne: Ross Michael: Gareth Spiers; Mikey Williams; Tom Davies; Tom Windsor: Tom Jameson; Gethin Jones: Rhys Thomas; Richie Waters; Dorian Harries: Leigh Thomas; Tom Rees: Carwyn Jones; Dai Thomas; Carl Smith. Replacements: Ben Lloyd; Andrew Phillips; Gwynn Morris; Gary Jones; Will Evans.
 
 

Championship Division:

 

Crows too strong for Otters

Trebanos 39 - Narberth 20

Narberth had already beaten Trebanos by 27-23 at home but in this return fixture The Crows showed why they have moved into fourth spot in the table with a comfortable win, despite being reduced to 13 men for ten minutes shortly after half time when they had two players shown yellow cards in quick succession.

But by then The Otters were 22-10 adrift despite having plenty of possession but failing to turn pressure into points and gifting The Crows two tries from interceptions.

With only three minutes of the first half left the home side led 22-0 thanks to tries from full back Tom Dawe, scrum half Morgan Dew, prop Tyla Murvai and centre Steff Lewis, one converted by Matthew Edwards.
But Narberth battled back with a Nick Gale penalty and a penalty try from a scrum offence by the homesters to trail by 22-10 at half time.

They also managed two tries in the second half from hooker Dan Smith, both from innovative ten-man lineout drives but again unforced errors caused them to lose momentum as Trebanos added further scores from hooker and skipper Rhys Thomas, and winger Llyr Davies (2).

Matthew Edwards added two conversions and a penalty and The Otters could have few complaints about the disappointment of defeat in this game.
 

PHOTO:
Dan Smith - two tries for defeated Otters

 

Division One (West):

 

Nervous last quarter for tired Preseli Men

Crymych 36 - Llanelli Wanderers 34

Crymych maintained their remarkable run of good form at Parc Lloyd Thomas with victory over Llanelli Wanderers – but not before they had put their supporters through a second half collapse of epic proportions when they almost surrendered a 36-6 interval advantage.

It was the Wanderers, who had won the earlier match between the two sides by 44-12, who got off to a positive start as ace kicker Jonathan George landed two penalties but then the Preseli Men seemed to find another gear as their front five of Zac France-Miller, Aled and Steff Harries, skipper Rhys and Llyr Davies began to secure set-piece ball.

The lively back row of Sion Colella, Guto and Osian Davies really featured so that halves Gareth Davies and Jake Jenkins could call the shots and they grabbed six tries as proof of their superiority against a shell-shocked Wanderers outfit, with flying winger Lawrence Headlam grabbing three of them alongside full back Gavin Thomas, flanker Colella and prop France-Miller, three of them converted by centre Ifan Phillips.
Second-half sleep-walking!

Perhaps the Preseli Men thought it was all over bar the shouting but they were soon made aware that The Wanderers still had something in hand as they earned a penalty try and then grabbed three more tries via scrum half Josh Weeds (2) and No 8 Nicky Harries, all converted by Jonathan George.

There was a few tense moments to endure before the final whistle saw Crymych with five points for victory and the visitors pouching two bonus points – and it would have been interesting to be a fly on the home walls to hear what coach Randall Williams felt of their second half performance!

Crymych:  Gavin Thomas: Tomos Lewis; Tomos Phillips; Ifan Phillips; Lawrence Headlam: Jake Jenkins; Gareth Davies: Zac France-Miller; Aled Harries; Steff Harries: Rhys Davies (Capt); Llyr Davies: Guto Davies; Sion Colella; Osian Davies. Replacements: Lee Griffiths; Jonathan Phillips; Dion Gibby; Nick Bevan; Dafydd Phillips.
 

PHOTO:
Gavin Thomas - scored a good try for Crymych

 

Division Two (West):

 

Borderers bag a vital victory over basement battlers

Whitland 59 - Amman United 12

Whitland gained their expected win over bottom club Amman United as they led 28-5 at the interval and went on to score nine tries to complete a high-scoring double since they had already won 35-0 at Cwmamman Park.

The Borderers knew that they needed the maximum five points to maintain the pressure on current leaders Hendy, who are five points ahead but having played two matches more, and Whitland scored four first half tries, all converted by Nico Setaro as all the Amman could muster in response was an unconverted try by flanker Alun Lewis, followed by a second half try and conversion by centre Steff Davies.

But The Borderers maintained their momentum and Setaro ended up with seven conversions and a try as others were claimed by wingers Sean Coles and Liam Price (2), open-side flanker Dan Evans and second-row Ben Kirk.

Classy centre Jonathan Thomas and full back Aron Ebsworth also joined them on the try-sheet, as did replacement hooker Marc Jones, with a try brace – and Whitland were good value for victory as they know that the their match at Hendy could well be the crunch match that decides the destiny of the silverware and who gets promotion as a result!
 

PHOTO:
Nico Setaro - chosen as man of the match by the Whitland Former Players' Association

 

Seagulls smashed as Watson runs riot

Carmarthen Athletic 58 - Fishguard and Goodwick 17

Fishguard and Goodwick travelled to Carmarthen Athletic with something of a makeshift side and paid the inevitable price as they trailed by 25-5 at half time and had little answer to the pace and kicking accuracy of home winger Josh Watson, who raced away for three tries and was on form with the boot as an added bonus.

It was Watson who opened up The Athletic’s scoring with an early penalty and after George Thomas added an unconverted try he added the extras to two tries of his own before Llyr Owens also got on the scoresheet – whilst The Seagulls only points came from a try by full back Gabe York, playing on permit from St Davids.
But Fishguard made a strong start to the second half but missed a couple of chances before they were awarded a penalty try when Andrew Williams was illegally held back going for a try.

Their hopes of a come-back were soon ruined, however, as further tries for The Athletic by Robbie Thomas, Aled Jones Gareth Francis and a penalty try put the home side out of reach – and Watson applied the coup de grace with the three more conversions, the final try and a personal haul of 28 points!

PHOTO:
Haverfordwest try scorers Ben John, Lewis Wood and Jamie Zambas

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Wood’s try sets the seal on Blues’ home win

Haverfordwest 19 - Aberaeron 17

A late try by powerful No 8 Lewis Wood helped Haverfordwest gain a hard-fought victory over an Aberaeron side that were never in front but always in contention as they refused to give in against a Blues’ side which just shaded the forward battle but were unable to turn more periods of pressure into points.

But another plus point for Blues’ coach Simon Lepetit was the fact that his squad included five youth players in Hywel Churchill, Cole Barry, Tom Carrington, Mark Stobbs and Jake Morgan, who will all have gained from the experience of playing alongside experienced campaigners like Gareth Phillips, Terry Lovell, Jamie Zambas and Wood.

It was Zambas who gave his side the early lead after he ended a good platform by ploughing over at the posts for Morgan to add the extra points but good work up front by Aberaeron’s Tudur Jenkins, Dan Lewis, Gethin Hughes and Owen Wozencroft allowed full back Morgan Llewellyn to take the scoring pass from Rhodri Jenkins to score a try which Jenkins converted to haul his team level.

Blues lead at the Break

But The Blues took a 14-7 lead into the oranges as great support play from flanker Dan John earned him a try which Morgan again converted.

Aberaeron made the better start after the interval and were rewarded with a penalty goaled by Jenkins but although The Blues had the better of the play in territorial terms they were unable to turn it into points until they established a series of close range scrums which finally ended when scrum half Stobbs picked up at a scrum five and fed Wood, who was standing off in anticipation of being involved and he brushed aside his marker to score an unconverted try.

But Aberaeron had the final word, and a deserved bonus point, when a powerful surge in the far right corner saw prop Alex Danton cross for a try which Llewellyn converted.

Haverfordwest:  Rhys Baker: Jake Morgan; Dave O’Leary; Gareth Owen (Capt); Josh Atherton: Elgan Roberts; Mark Stobbs: Cole Barry; Jamie Zambas; Terry Lovell: Gareth Phillips; Karl Busch: Dan John; Hywel Churchill; Lewis Wood. Replacements: Matthew Clayton; Tom Carrington; Jack Clancy; Gareth John; Dane Pindair.

Aberaeron:  Morgan Llewellyn: Rhodri Thomas; Tom Slinger; Dyfrig Dafis; Sion Ellis: Rhodri Jenkins; Gareth James: Owen Wozencroft; Sam Evans; Alex Danton: Gethin Hughes; Daf Lloyd: Rhys Evans; Dan Lewis; Tudur Jenkins. Replacements: Rhodri Jones; Owen Bonsall; Justin Lloyd.

PHOTO:
Lewis Wood grabs a late try for The Blues

 

All Blacks bag big win in Mid Wales

Tregaron 19 - Neyland 53

Neyland’s talented young players continue to shine under the watchful eye of player/coach Steve Martin as they mid the long journey up the Cardiganshire coast to record a big win over Tregaron.

Leading the way was talented teenaged centre Alex Codd with a splendid hat trick of tries alongside other young try scorers in flanker Owain Evans and centre George Williams – and The All Blacks completed a deserved double having already beaten Tregaron by 52-17 at the Athletic Ground, with other young players like Luke Dawes, Jack Harries, Eugene Grice and youth team hooker Mark Mathias working hard in the ball-winning stakes.

They led by 34-14 at the interval and were never in danger of losing despite tries by Llyr Ebenezer, Gethin Williams and How Bonner, who also notched two conversions for the home side.

Joining Codd, Evans and Williams on the Neyland try sheet were winger Johnny Lloyd (2) and industrious forward Luke Dawes, with Martin again playing an influential role in the pivot’s slot as he directed the patters of play whilst also notching five conversions and an early penalty.
 

PHOTO:
Alex Codd - hat trick of tries for talented young Neyland centre

 

Local derby called off

Milford Haven P-P Llangwm
**Llangwm unable to raise a team