Llangwm RFC with sponsors Paul Maggs and Skyrme Lewis

 

Featured match - Division Three (West) A:

 

Cardis go top at Pill Parks

 

Llangwm 0 - Cardigan 39

Cardigan climbed back to the top of the table with this comfortable win at Pill Parks but only after they had been pushed hard by a Llangwm side that battled really hard throughout and played far better than the final scoreline might suggest.

Indeed, The Wasps had several clear-cut chances to score as Paul Jonkers, Rhys Mason Ian Griffiths and Gethin Thomas all made strong runs but poor handling at key times lost them position and points.

Cardigan patience pays off

Cardigan, however, showed them how to be patient and turn pressure into points after making a good start with tries in the opening ten minutes from full back Rhydian Jenkins and winger Daf Watkins in the top right-hand corner.

There was some good tackling by Ashley James, Josh Hicks and Gavin Jones for the vociferous home crowd to savour but Cardigan added a third try near the posts when outside half Luke Rogers spotted a gap and also added the extra points alongside a simple penalty that gave The Teifisiders a 20-0 interval lead.

Teifisiders turn pressure into points

Llangwm gave as good as they got in the third quarter as Spencer Rourke. Yale Grice, Daniel Morgan and Steve Picton tried hard alongside Ryan Joseph, Gethin Thomas and Gavin Jones but again Cardigan repelled any pressure and skipper Llyr Griffiths scored a try from a scrum five push-over attempt which Rogers converted.

Cardigan finished well with two tries by Sion Hughes, the latter converted by Rogers, to send them to the top of the tree, whilst Llangwm can take consolation from their improvement under coach Andy Barlow over their start to the campaign.

Llangwm: Paul Jonker: Daniel Morgan; Yale Grice; Josh Hicks; Spencer Rourke: Steve Picton; Rhys Mason: Ryan Joseph; Gethin Thomas; Gavin Jones: Jason Mock; David Lewis: Ashley James; James Lewis; Ian Griffiths. Replacements: Daniel Chesmer; James Griffiths; Anthony Morrillo; Carwyn Morgan; Ieuan Power.

Cardigan: Rhydian Jenkins: Llyr Jones; Emyr Harries; Iestyn Crompton; Daf Watkins: Luke Rogers; Aaron Evans: Tomos Evans; Aled Phillips; Ben Hughes: Steffan Crompton; Dean harries: Gethin Jones; Simon Hughes; Llyr Griffiths. Replacements: Richard Jones; Will Brice; Ifan James; Marcus Castle; Rhys Williams.

Cardigan skipper Llyr Griffiths on the charge

 

Championship:

 

Otters fail to find their recent spark

 

Narberth 11 - Beddau 26

Narberth have enjoyed a recent run of good form but failed to ignite their recent attacking spark in a disappointing display against a Beddau side that sits just below the Otters in the section table.

The writing was on the wall for Narberth at the interval as they trailed 15-6 and from there ion they were never able to snatch the initiative from a committed Beddau team.

Outside half Hywel Chatham gave Beddau a 13th-minute lead with a penalty that was cancelled out ten minutes later by Otters’ winger Nick Gale – but then good running by the visiting backs set up a try for left winger Cody Baker which Chatham converted.

A second Gale penalty reduced the deficit towards the end of the period but there was still time left for Beddau to grab a try by Leon Rogers which Chatham goaled.

Chatham also opened the second-half scoring with another three-pointer but talented young centre Jack Parkinson powered over for an unconverted Narberth try to keep them in contention.

But with Rhys Lane and Dan Smith sustaining head injuries that took them off the field the Otters couldn’t manage any further scores and Beddau had the final say through via a Chatham penalty and unconverted try by James Pashin.
 
 

Division One (West):

 

Preseli Men pointless at Felinfoel

 

Felinfoel 29 - Crymych 0

Crymych might have started their match at Felinfoel as slight favourites in view of the respective teams’ league placings but someone forget to tell the homesters that fact as they led 12-0 at half time and later added another 17 unanswered points which allowed them to leap-frog over the Preseli Men in the table.

There were plus points for Crymych in the performances of centre Llyr Edwards, full back Tomos Phillips, winger Guto Harries and No 8 Guto Davies but in the final analysis they could have no complaints about this defeat as home full back Elliott Dawe shone for Felinfoel with a hat-trick of tries alongside others from winger Kyle Simmonite and second row Jason Frater.

Outside half Aled Roberts chipped in with two conversions and Felinfoel climbed to sixth place whilst Crymych dropped below them into seventh spot.

 

Another bonus point in defeat for Whitland

Whitland 6 - Penclawdd 13

Whitland suffered their fifth successive defeat and are now the only team without a win in this division but picked up another bonus point that keeps them level at the foot of the table with Loughor and Waunarlwydd, both of whom have played a game more than The Borderers.

In a tight first period Whitland trailed by 7-3 as Nico Setaro slotted a penalty for them and the visitors had a try by No 8 Jonathan Hughes which was converted by Philip Tucker.

The second period was equally as combative, with few chances at either end until Hughes chipped over two more penalties for The Cocklemen.

But it is to the Borderers’ credit that they kept battling away and were rewarded with a late penalty which Setaro duly landed to take his side within seven points of the opposition – and another bonus point as their reward.

Nico Setaro - late penalty earned Whitland a bonus point

 

Division Two (West):

 

Seasiders stymied in top of table clash

 

Hendy 27 - Tenby United 18

Hendy remain top of the table after this hard-fought win against Tenby United, who now slip down to fourth place as a result of this defeat.

Both teams managed a try brace apiece but it was The Seasiders who conceded five penalties that allowed home kicker Josh Batcup to amass 17 points as he also added a conversion to one of their tries scored by centre Chris Bowen and scrum half Ifan Beynon-Thomas.

Tenby had penalties from Scott James and Johnny Morgan, who also landed a conversion as his team scored a first-half try by Jordan Asparassa and another after the interval by Scott James, following good work by Barry Parsons, which temporarily nudged them into an 18-16 lead before Hendy’s greater focus saw them retain their 100% record.
 

Scott James - try and penalty for Tenby

 

Seagulls suffer in second half

 

Pontarddulais 34 - Fishguard & Goodwick 10

Fishguard and Goodwick were 10-8 ahead at the interval at Pontarddulais but then they suffered a series of injuries in what was already a depleted squad and were forced to concede 26 points in the second period whilst failing to add to their tally.

The Bont made the better start and were soon 8-0 ahead thanks to a try by second row Craig Davies and an Aled Stone penalty but Alun George, playing in the unusual role of outside half, reduced the deficit with a penalty and the conversion of an excellent try by winger Ed Bendall after the ball had passed through a number of hands via a series of phases that showed good ball retention.

But Pontarddulais took the initiative in the second half with tries from centre Josh Gough and a push-over try by Dean Court, both converted by Stone, followed by a forth try, claimed by Jed Wallace.

The Seagulls were forced to opt for uncontested scrums as they finished the game with 14 men – but The Bont still had the final word with a try by No 8 Aled Evans which Stone converted to help push his side into the top three, whilst The Seagulls now find themselves eighth in this 11-team section!

Ed Bendall - scored Fishguard's only try

 

Blues game postponed until later in the season
Tycroes P-P Haverfordwest
*Postponed by mutual agreement earlier in the season

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Boathouse Boys too strong up front for Pembrokeshire All Blacks

Laugharne 43 - Neyland 17

Laugharne produced an excellent all-round team performance to end the recent run of good form from a young Neyland side which was never able to come to terms with the power of the Boathouse Boys’ pack and paid the inevitable price.

Yet the All Blacks made a good start as they opened the scoring through winger Luke Conbeer, whose try was converted by fly half Toby Hayman – and although they also added another try midway through the period they found themselves 24-12 adrift at the oranges as Laugharne played really well to claim tries by winger Luke Starkey, outstanding No 8 Mikey Williams, centre Ross Michael and then a penalty try as reward for the work of their pack, plus two conversions from Tom Jameson.

Mikey Williams completed a try hat-trick in the second half and full back Tom Davies also added his name to the try count, one converted by Jameson.

Neyland had the final word when replacement forward Craig Grice scored a good try but it was the Boathouse Boys who were dominant on the day and move into fifth place as due reward.
 

Scarlets shine through drab conditions

 

Pembroke 38 - Tregaron 10

Pembroke’s clear-cut win over a Tregaron side making their Crickmarren debut earned the Scarlets second place in the table as they established a 24-5 interval lead and were in control thereafter.

They produced some excellent running rugby despite the poor weather conditions and powerful flanker Dom Colman opened their account with a try converted by full back Luke Hartland.

Then flanker Jordan Evans, voted man of the match after a rousing debut, added a second before Sam Smith became the third back rower on the score list and outstanding scrum half Lewys Gibby rounded off a 12-phase move with a try converted by Hartland.

All Tregaron could muster in response was a try by scrum half Nathan Lloyd and prop Dorian Pugh rounded off the game’s scoring when he popped up wide out to round off a good handling move by the visitors.

But sandwiched in between was a second Smith score, converted by Hartland, as was the Scarlet’s final try for centre Tom Kinnear as he cut a well-judged line to the whitewash to round off another sustained period of pressure and complete another good day for Geraint Lewis’s boys as they maintained their 100% start to the season.

Fraser Watson and Brian Phillips on a burst for St Davids
 

Quins win despite penalty-ridden second half

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 31 - St Davids 5

There was relief at Bierspool as Pembroke Dock Harlequins got their first win of the season against a St Davids side still waiting to notch their first victory of the 2016/17 campaign.

In torrential rain, powerful No 8 Kevin Bratcher set the tone for the home side as he burst down the blindside from a set scrum and shrugged off the cover defence to crash over.

Ossie Boswell’s men then dominated the opening 40 minutes as Jack Davies, Dan Goodridge, and Kyle Hamer added further tries before the break – and outside half Ben Hathaway kicked three conversions to help open up a 26-0 lead. 

It was Bratcher who then opened the second half scoring, touching down from a driving lineout.
But The Saints, who have endured a very difficult few weeks, at least rallied in the final half hour, and after a series of close range scrums came to nothing – they did cross when Fraser Watson took a quick tap penalty and set up full back Gabe York to score on his debut.

The closing stages were marred somewhat by a spate of penalties and yellow cards from some questionable officiating – with home hooker Neil Brace receiving two of them and being sent off.

Kevin Bratcher - as powerful as ever for The Quins
Pictures by Ceri Coleman Phillips

 

Great win for rampant Mariners

St Clears 3 - Milford Haven 25

Milford Haven showed what a force to be reckoned with they are in this division as they travelled to St Clears and produced a powerhouse performance to take away the Carmarthenshire Saints’ 100% record and in doing so knocked them off the top of the table.

The first half was its expected tight affair and The Mariners led 7-3 as strong-running centre Dan Birch scored their try, converted by Craig Barnett, and The Saints responded with a penalty by Liam Price.

But the Mariners’ tight five of Mike Cockburn, Luke Ryan, Andrew Rees, Tom Manning and Archie Smithies gradually gained the ascendancy so that the dynamic back row of Sam Dolling, Ryan Mansell and Mark Wonnacott could create a real influence and when play was spread wide winger Jimmy Thomas made a welcome return with a try converted by Barnett.

Dan Birch’s claims for man of the match were enhanced with his second try after quick hands in midfield and although Barnett missed the conversion he quickly made amends with two penalties that set the seal on a cracking Milford Haven win.

Dan Birch - try brace for Milford man of the match