PHOTO:

Terry Lovell in the thick of things

 

Feature Match:

 

Division Three (West):

 

Blues run amok in second half points’ fest 

Haverfordwest 64 - Tregaron 3

Haverfordwest scored 43 unanswered points in the second half of their home match against Tregaron, who had taken two and a half hours to make the long journey from Mid Wales and had a player stretchered off in a game that was hard but played in a good spirit.

Undoubtedly the man of the match was Haverfordwest’s talented young full back Ollie Hughes, who not only scored a hat-trick but popped up everywhere, including one 60-metre kick down the far touchline followed by a great chase and a tackle to put his opposite number into touch!

Also heavily involved were half backs Richard James and Matthew Davies, plus Gareth Phillips, Terry Lovell and Lewis Wood.

The Blues made a good start as they took an early lead through centre Matty Phillips, whilst Gareth John supplied the final pass and slotted the easy conversion – but Tregaron played some neat rugby, orchestrated by half backs Nathan Lloyd and Gwion Phillips, who made an early response with a penalty.

With the elements very much in their favour The Blues didn’t add any further points until the last 10 minutes of the half, when Flanker Morgan Layton and Hughes crossed for tries which John converted.

Forwards’ coach Simon Lepetit deserves a mention for Haverfordwest as he brought on experienced second row Liam Brown at half time, who took the kick-off, made 25 metres and set up a try by winger Ryan Baker which John converted.

Adam Clark, Richard Little and Dan John also came on up front, with John making a telling break almost as soon as he started and provided a scoring pass as further tries came from Hughes (2 in quick succession), Rhys Baker, Lewis Wood, Mike Griffiths and Liam Manwaring.

Gareth John managed three more conversions and a special mention must go to Blues’ prop Terry Lovell after Tregaron winger Martin Lloyd was knocked out cold after an accidental collision – and Lovell quickly put him in the recovery position and made sure his tongue didn’t block his windpipe.

This win put Haverfordwest in the top three and The Blues look a strong unit, particularly with regard to having an experienced lot sitting on the bench!

Haverfordwest: Ollie Hughes: Josh Atherton; Matty Phillips; Gareth John; Rhys Baker: Matthew Davies; Richard James: Terry Lovell; Jamie Zambas; Ben Llewellyn: Gareth Phillips; Karl Busch: Morgan Layton; Michael Griffiths; Lewis Wood. Replacements: Richard Little; Adam Clark; Dan John; Liam Brown; Liam Manwaring.

Tregaron: Ieuan Wyn Rees: Hefin Eberneezer; Mel Davies; Gareth Jones; Martin Lloyd: Gwion Phillips; Nathan Lloyd: Dorian Pugh; Steffan Wyn: Steve Roberts; Geraint Jones: Simon Rathry; Rhydian Davies; Daniel Rees. Replacements: Albert Worsley; Rhys Eberneezer; Aled Jones; Ieuan Thomas.

PHOTO:
Jamie Zambas on the charge for The Blues

 

Championship Division:

 

Otters stay strong in second half

Skewen 14 - Narberth 20

An excellent second half performance by Narberth that will have pleased head coach Sean Gale saw The Otters come back from a 6-14 deficit to win 20-16 as reward for total commitment in conditions that bordered on dire at times.

Matches at Skewen are never easy and this one was no exception because after taking an early lead with a penalty by fly half Ianto Griffiths the visitors conceded a penalty try from on offence close to their own line and was followed up by a second try, this time by Gareth Morris, which gave them a 14-3 lead before Griffiths slotted his second three-pointer in the 39th minute.

The second half was no less tough and with little improvement in the conditions but The Otters were boosted by a good try from replacement centre Jack Price, converted by Griffiths – and a penalty try put them in front again as Ryan Banner caught the eye up front with his work-rate and commitment.

The last five minutes saw Narberth deep in Skewen territory as they tried to make the game totally safe but it mattered little in the final analysis because with Trebanos having their fixture postponed The Otters now find themselves in second place behind Pontypool thanks to their fifth win of the campaign.
 

PHOTO:
Jack Price - vital try for The Otters

 

Division One (West): 

 

Preseli Men overpower Penclawdd

Crymych 40 - Penclawdd 12

Crymych produced their best performance of the season so far as they proved too good for a Penclawdd team which started the day five places ahead of the Preseli Men, who forced their way out of the table’s bottom two as reward for running in four tries to claim a bonus point.

They were already 23-7 in front at the oranges and were on top thereafter thanks to the power of a pack in which Ifan James, Dion Gibby, Rhys Davies, Llyr Davies, Sion Colella and Richard Sharp-Williams were key ball winners so that half backs Luke Rogers and Jake Jenkins could call the shots.

Scott Jenkins, Lawrence Headlam, Nick Bevan and Sharp-Williams scored the Crymych tries, with the four conversions shared by Jenkins and Ifan Phillips, whilst The Cocklemen replied with tries from second row Matthew Donohoe and No 8 Richard Lewes. One converted by Tom Guannieri.

Phillips also landed four penalties in a cracking win at Parc Lloyd Thomas for the delighted home supporters.

PHOTO:
Dion Gibby - another try in Crymych's big win

 

Seasiders suffer from second half penalties

Llangennech 21 - Tenby United 13

Tenby United were only 12-10 adrift at half time at Llangennech but although they were very much in the hunt for large stages of the game they conceded some soft penalties from indiscipline.

They also bemused their hardy band of supports when they were awarded a penalty from the last move of the match when eight points behind and opted for a kick to the corner and the possibility of a lineout drive – but it was too late to snatch victory anyway and a kick on target would still have secured them a bonus point!

Llangennech established an early 12-point advantage through tries by winger Tom Barnes and hooker Alex Jones alongside a Josh Hammett conversion before The Seasiders fought back with unconverted tries from second row Luke Deadman and flanker Andrew Cooke.

And that is the way the scoreline stayed until midway through the second period when a late tackle cost Tenby a yellow card and three points to Hammett, who also landed another kick before Craig Barnett took over the kicking duties and found the target with a well-taken penalty.

But The Seasiders then committed the cardinal sin of querying a ref’s decision and when they were marched back 10 metres it brought the penalty with range for Hammett to punish.

Then came that late confusion over what was needed to secure a bonus point and Llangennech move into the top three as a result, leaving The Seasiders back in eighth place when the talent they have at their disposal perhaps see them higher in the table!
 

PHOTO:
Luke Dedman - try in Tenby's defeat at Llangennech

 

Division Two (West):

 

Seasiders struggle at The Bont

Pontarddulais 28 - Fishguard 0

It was not one of Fishguard and Goodwick’s more memorable days as they travelled to Pontarddulais and couldn’t muster a single point against a team which has a 100% record after five matches.

Leading the way for The Bont was Adrian Killa, the veteran scrum half who served Narberth so well for a long time and sniped over for two tries from close range, scoring his first to help his side to an 11-0 lead at half time as ace kicker Jonathan Lloyd landed a penalty either side but missed the conversion.

The Seagulls had a solid scrum platform via Andrew Morrillo, skipper Gavin Walsh and Ryan McVeigh, but couldn’t secure enough possession in the loose and paid the inevitable price, despite the efforts of Mark George.

Killa added his second and there were other tries by replacement Aled Thomas and Will Jones, with Lloyd converting one of them to help give his team a single-point lead over Whitland, whose game was postponed, at the top of the table
 

Borderers miss out to bad weather
Tumble P Whitland P
** Match postponed because of waterlogged pitch

 
 

Division Three (West):

 

Dan leads Scarlets’ rout with six tries

Pembroke 95 - St Davids 5

The clash between Pembroke and St Davids survived ‘Storm Brian’ at Crickmarren - and The Scarlets were in ruthless form as they ran in 17 tries, six of them from centre Dan Colley, to extend their lead at the top of Division Three (West) A.

With a strong wind behind them, Pembroke’s first three scores came inside the opening 10 minutes as No 8 Sam Smith and brother and centre Toby both crossed, before Colley got his first after being set up by flanker Dom Colman.

Despite having Toby Smith yellow carded, The Scarlets continued to score at will as Colley jinked over for his second, before No 8 Smith touched down again from a driving lineout.

A quick penalty from scrum half Tom Lewis led to a hat trick try for Colley, before Toby Smith returned to the field to twice cut under the posts and also seal a first half treble. Full back Luke Hartland went over for the ninth try after a clever chip and chase - with outside half Simon Hooper adding four conversions as the home side led 53-0 at the break.

Geraint Lewis’ side showed no mercy after the break, as flanker Billy Wood opened the second half try scoring, before Sam Smith got his third score from another converted forward drive.

Colley took his tally to five as he touched down another two times, before replacements Rhys Mainwaring (youth team hooker) and Cyle Weatherall also got in on the act, with Hooper adding another conversion to make it 85-0.

But it was then that one of the biggest cheers of the day game when St Davids, for whom full back Rhys Morgan stood out with a brave tackling display, were rewarded for battling to the end as a break from centre Matty McLeod and some neat handling set up a corner try for replacement wing Rhys Evans.

However it was the home side that fittingly had the final word when Colley got try number six, and prop Johnny Palmer rounded off the scoring to mark his day as captain in the absence of Scott Powell, as The Scarlets continued their strong start to the campaign.

Pembroke: Luke Hartland, Barry John, Dan Colley, Toby Smith, Elliot Evans, Simon Hooper, Tom Lewis, Lloyd Davies, Seamus Wiseman, Jonny Palmer (capt), Alex Wilkes, Will Edwards, Dom Colman, Billy Wood, Sam Smith. Replacements: Rhys Mainwaring, Cyle Weatherall, Rhodri Walters, Ryan Wilkins, Daffy Lewis.

St Davids: Rhys Morgan, John Miles, Gavin Smith, Mathew Bennett, Luke Brooks, Matty McLeod, Rhys Price, Will Davies, Noel Lyons, Rhys Tudor Price (capt), Anthony Davies, Kenna Evans, Carl Evans, Andrew Groves, Dafydd Williams. Replacements: Gabe York, Tanapon Phumkhonsan, Rhys Evans, Steve Griffiths, Berwyn Warlow.
 

PHOTO:
Dan Colley - six tries in Pembroke's huge win over St Davids

 

Ref calls match off late
Laugharne P Pembroke Dock Harlequins P
** Postponed after referee decided the pitch was too heavy
 
Local derby postponed
Milford Haven P Llangwm P
** Match postponed – pitch too heavy

Neyland P Cardigan P
** Match postponed – pitch too heavy