PHOTOS:
Craig Barnett on a typical burst
Danny Morgan scores the Blues' first try
 

Featured match:

 

Division Three (West):

 

Battling Blues throw it away

Haverfordwest 13 - Pontarddulais 14

Haverfordwest conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as they played really well against a Pontarddulais side hovering on the edge of the promotion race but somehow lost by a single point to remain rooted near the foot of the table.

The Blues showed real grit, especially in the forward exchanges, but conceded a try right on half time which saw the teams go into the oranges all-square, had about 75% of the possession in the second half but gifted the Bont a couple of late penalties near the end, the worst coming as No 8 Alun Harries was yellow-carded for talking too much to the referee!

A fussy referee certainly didn’t help the Blues’ cause either as he yellow-carded their centre Scott James for a first Blues’ offence and in the second half allowed the Bont to escape unpunished for five penalties in almost as many minutes before finally sin-binning their second row.

The other problem for the Blues was that they missed tow vital conversions whilst replacement outside half Jonathan Lloyd belted over three penalties from as many attempts for the visitors!

Blues have the better of first-half events

Playing with the wind in the first half, the Blues had yeoman work up front from Gareth Phillips and Adam Clark in the second row, whilst skipper Gareth Green, Adam Williams and Jon Mason were always to the fore in the loose.

They took a deserved lead after 17 minutes when Darren Salmon made a run to the right corner and scrum half Danny Morgan dived over for an unconverted try – but after James departed for ten minutes The Bont levelled matters through centre Gareth Williams, who missed the conversion.

Hooker George gives the Blues hope

Lloyd came on and put the visitors ahead after the Blues had been camped in their 22 for almost 10 minutes but continued pressure by the industrious home eight saw Clark, Harries, Danny Miners and Adam Williams set up the chance for an unconverted try by lively hooker Ashley George.

Another Lloyd penalty put The Bont back ahead before Ashley Sutton slotted a good penalty for the Blues but then came Harries departure and Lloyd made it three penalties on target for the visitors.

The Blues fought hard to claw their way back again as Craig Barnett made a welcomereturn  from injury alongside Dave O’Leary and Lawrence Hancock but it was not to be and the Blues will certainly look back on this tussle as a game they should have won.

Haverfordwest: Craig Barnett: Darren Salmon; Scott James; Dave O'Leary; Lawrence Hancock: Ashley Sutton; Danny Morgan: Terry Lovell; Ashley  George; Gareth Green (Capt): Gareth Phillips; Adam Clark: Adam Williams; Jon Mason; Alun Harries. Replacements: Danny Miners; Deon Lloyd-Hughes; Dan John; Michael Jones.
 

Championship:
 
Students call off Otters’ match
Cardiff Met v Narberth
*Match postponed

 

Division One (West):

 

Great win for Preseli Men

Crymych 19 - Carmarthen Athletic 3

Crymych played really well in their rearranged home match with Carmarthen Athletic and were good value for victory against a team two places above them in the table.

The Preseli Men were 8-3 in front at half time and really raised the tempo in the second half against the wind to score two good tries whilst preventing the Athletic from adding any further points to a first-half penalty by Jack Wilson.

That allowed the visitors to take the lead but with the home back row of Tom Powell, Richard Sharp-Williams and Alex Humphreys looking impressive they scored a good try by winger Nick Bevan which scrum half Rhys Davies converted.

The front five of Jason Nicholls, Carwyn Rees, Matthew House, Llyr Evans and especially Cennydd James played really well after the interval and further tries came from hooker Rees and veteran centre Elgan Vittle. One was converted by replacement Dyfan Dafydd, who played at No 10 after Gareth Davies had switched to scrum half, and the Preseli Men were clearly delighted by their third win of the campaign!

Nick Bevan - opened scoring for Crymych

 

Borderers bag a bonus point victory

Whitland 28 - Ammanford 18

Whitland played really well against basement battlers Ammanford and defied a late surge by a visiting team boosted by victory over Crymych the previous weekend.

The Borderers had several key players unavailable but still led 13-0 at half time thanks to tries by No 8 Callum Tree and centre Mike Georgiou as Jonathan Thomas missed both conversions and a couple of penalty chances but was on target with a third three-pointer.

Rhydian Morris reduced the deficit early in the second half with a penalty but Jonathan landed a penalty almost straight away and then converted a try be replacement back-rower Zac France-Miller.

At 23-3 the game seemed as good as over but Ammanford fought back with a Morris penalty, plus tries by winger Terry Rees and No 8 Emyr Price, the latter converted by Morris.

With just a five-point lead the Borderers’ supporters were understandably nervous but with minutes remaining France-Miller confirmed his right to be dubbed ‘super-sub’ as he ploughed over for his second try to confirm a deserved and welcome win for the Borderers.

Callum Tree - good try for Whitland No 8

Division Three (West):

 

Seasiders back to top form

Tumble 0 - Tenby United 37

Tenby United reinforced their claim to be considered as serious promotion candidates as they effectively crushed the resistance of a Tumble side traditionally strong at home but unable to handle the pace and power of this Seasiders’ team.

Jonathan Rogers was one of the pivotal players in their success as he scored all 13 of their first half points and finished up with 22 points as Tenby also pouched a bonus point as reward for their dominance.

Another feature was the power of Steve Dyde, Luke Hanford and especially Roy Osborne in the back row, which helped Rogers score his first-half try, which he also converted to go with two penalties.

Rogers added a third three-pointer in the second half and notched two more conversions of tries scored by second row Luke Dedman (2) and centre Jack Guerreiro which put the Seasiders firmly in third place and very much in contention.

Luke Dedman - 2 tries for Tenby second row

 

Cardis play well against league leaders

Cardigan 8 - Gorseinon 22

Powerful section leaders Gorseinon marched on with a win over Cardigan at the King George Vth Ground but not before they had been tested all the way by a gritty Cardigan side which had centre Jack Lynch as their man of the match as he typified the Teifisiders’ commitment.

Indeed, it was Lynch who gave his team the lead after six minutes with a well-taken try and Iestyn Crompton kicked a 38^th minute penalty for Cardigan but Gorseinon led 14-8 at half time thanks to tries in the 19^th and 29^th minutes by No 8 Sean Heycock and full back Andrew Colwill, both of which Colwill converted.

The second half was just as hard fought but the Teifisiders were unable to turn periods of pressure into points and Gorseinon added a third try, this time from loose head prop Geraint James, before Colwill notched a penalty to give Gorseinon the double since they had won at home by a much bigger 67-21 margin.
 

Division Four (West):

 

Seagulls miss out in points fest with promotion hopefuls

Hendy 43 - Fishguard & Goodwick 34

For the second time this season Fishguard & Goodwick pushed promotion favourites Hendy all the way but the Seagulls had to settle for a bonus point for scoring four tries in a game where fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout.

Hendy had won 15-10 at the Moors but a much wider margin seemed likely in this return tussle as the homesters raced into a 14-0 lead with tries from Thomas Havard and Rhys Phillips, both converted by Josh Badcup, before the Seagulls were awarded a penalty try which Huw Evans converted.

But with experienced scrum half Gruff Jones orchestrating matters for Hendy they advanced to 26-7 as he scored a try alongside a second for Havard before a concerted fight-back by Simon James’ team either side of half time saw Fishguard lead 29-26 through tries by James, Matthew George, Rhys Lewis and Steve Jenkins, one converted by Evans.

Hendy responded with two quick tries Steffan and Gruff Jones, converted by Badcup, and although Jenkins grabbed his second score the Seagulls were nine points adrift at the end of a pulsating game.
 

Another bad day for the Mariners

Nantgaredig 88 - Milford Haven 0

Milford Haven suffered another huge defeat at the hands ninth-placed Nantgaredig as they travelled with only 15 players and minus coach Rob Kingston, who stepped down in midweek.

Then they lost Jonathan Coe after ten minutes and Tyrone John before half time, both injured, when they already trailed 38-0.

Nantgaredig had edged through by 42-32 when the teams met at the Observatory Field but went on a second half rampage with another 50 points to leave the dejected Mariners with a massive task to raise spirits before their next match.
 

Division Five (West):

 

Makeshift Wasps struggle at Ponty

Pontyates 39 - Llangwm 0

Llangwm could only muster 14 men for their trip to Pontyates but bravely played the match and gave a good account of themselves, especially in the second half, where the host club could only muster one unconverted try.

But Pontyates had led 34-0 at the break with tries by No 8 Steve George, full back Gareth Williams, outside half Kieran Evans, hooker Dewi Williams and centre Chris Davies, plus three conversions and a penalty by No 10 Evans.

The Wasps players gave 100% but Henry Brant, Will Beresford, Ian Griffiths and Aled Morgan stood out for their extra commitment as Gareth Williams added his second try for Pontyates but the Wasps battled hard until the final whistle.
 

Big win for All Blacks

St Clears 6 - Neyland 21

Neyland played some of their best rugby of the season as they journeyed to St Clears and came back with a thoroughly deserved success as the result of a solid team effort.

The Carmarthenshire Saints had already won by 25-8 in St Clears and the All Blacks’ win was all the more worthy because they played for much of the game with only 14 men after skipper Mark James had been red-carded in the first half.

The Saints opened their account with a penalty from James Davies but with James Passmore playing well in the front row on permit from Milford, assisted by Craig Grice, Steve Hamer and Andrew Slark making the ball available for Adam Cawley and Patrick Bellerby to utilise alongside Mark Riley, the All Blacks went into the break with an 8-3 lead as Dean Matthews powered his way over for a try and Riley landed a penalty.

Riley added two more useful penalties before Davies responded for the Saints, who also had a player sent off in the closing stages. But by then No 8 Hamer had scored an excellent try which Riley goaled to help the All Blacks to a deserved second victory of the season.
 

Quins go down at Bierspool

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 5 - Llangadog 13

Pembroke Dock Harlequins had their share of chances against Llangadog but failed to take them and suffered the consequences as the visitors scored a late eight points that saw them to the double. It also deprived the Quins of even a bonus point as reward for all their hard work.

Llangadog took the lead after only five minutes with a try by skipper Aled Jenkins, sniping away from his scrum half berth, but the Quins were level at 5-all by the interval as Sam Richards powered his way over the line.

The second half was equally as entertaining as both teams tried to spread play wide but there was no further scoring until the final ten minutes, when Dafydd Jenkins landed a penalty for Llangadog and then winger Chris Davidson sped over for a try.

The game was held up for half an hour because of a knee injury to Quins’ hooker Jake Newman, who was taken away in an ambulance. But it is good to report that Jake was back in the clubhouse later in the evening and we wish him a quick return to action.
 

Scarlets stymied by the weather
Penygroes v Pembroke
*Match postponed

 

Division Six:

 

Saints suffer after a great start

St Davids 7 - Burry Port 64

St Davids made an excellent start against promotion favourites Burry Port as they scored a cracking try just after the opening whistle but then found the experience and strength of the visitors too much as they trailed 42-7 by the interval and conceded another 22 points in the second half.

But coach Jack Dudley was quick to praise the way that his inexperienced side played, reinforced by a cracking display from Ianto Davies at No 8.

He was particularly pleased that youth team No 10 Norman Price, playing on the wing, marked his debut with an excellent try that was initiated near the Saints’ 22 and converted by Craig Challonder.

But Burry Port had tries from No 8 Dylan Evans (2), flanker Gareth Gravell, hooker Iwan Roberts, full back Adam Davies (2), winger James Perry (2), centre Declan Knox and replacement outside half Ben Williams. Scrum half Scott Charlton landed seven conversions as the visitors made it a high-scoring double, having already beaten the Saints by 80-5 at home.