PHOTOS:
The Cardigan team who beat Haverfordwest

Gareth Phillips wins this lineout battle for Haverfordwest

 

 

Division Two (West):

 

Two on the trot for Teifisiders in Merlins Bridge mud

Haverfordwest 3 - Cardigan 6

A penalty with seven minutes left by replacement fly half Iestyn Crompton saw Crymych pick up their second successive victory, this time at the expense of a Haverfordwest side which had the better of the first half but failed to turn pressure into points.

The Blues only mustered a penalty from Steve Williams as the Teifisiders tackled really well in this period, led by skipper Llyr Griffiths, Aled Meredith and Marcus Castle, and hauled themselves level before the oranges with a similar kick from their No 10 Llyr Tobias.

Both sides created half chances in a match that had far more movement than the final scoreline might suggest as the ball became like an oval bar of soap, but although referee Neil Howells (Maesteg) used an empathetic approach there was no try to celebrate in either camp.

So  that is the way the score stayed until the 73^rd minute when Crompton called upon his wealth of experience to slot the winning penalty between the sticks, leaving the Teifisiders hardy band of supporters to celebrate another win.

Haverfordwest:  Craig Barnett: Darren Salmon (Capt); Jon Venables; Moritz Neumann; Scott Candler: Steve Williams; Danny Morgan: Ollie Evans; Zac France-Miller; Neil Phillips: Gareth Phillips; Ryan Banner: Adam Williams; Jonathan Mason; Dewi Williams. Replacements: Jamie Zambas; Gareth Green; Dan John; Dan Birch; Lee Summons.

Cardigan: Alun Jenkins: Rhydian Jenkins; Aaron Tomkinson; Emyr Harries; Sion James: Llyr Tobias; Llyr Jones: Will Brace; Aled Richards; Tomos Evans: Dylan Davies; Tristan Lewis: Aled Meredith; Marcus Castle; Llyr Griffiths (Capt). Replacements: Iestyn Crompton; John Evans; Dan Evans; Rob Connolly.

Iestyn Crompton - kicked the late winning points for the Teifisiders

 

Championship:

 
Otters beaten by the weather
Bridgend Athletic P Narberth P
*Match postponed because of a waterlogged pitch
 

Division One (West):

Preseli Men win ‘War of Attrition’

Crymych 9 - Whitland 0

Both camps declared this tussle as a ‘war of attrition’ as neither was able to really overcome the extra-heavy conditions at Parc Lloyd Thomas – and it was the accurate boot of Crymych outside half Sam Phillips which finally decided the outcome, although both he and opposite number Jonathan Thomas found great difficulty in keeping their feet during the kicking process.

Good work by Ifan James, Carwyn Rees, Rhys Richards, Llyr Evans and Gruff Howells earned penalties for the home side before the ball became slippery, allowing Phillips to slot two penalties as Jonathan Thomas was short with three kicks as the conditions got worse.

Phillips was also off target after the break with two other penalty attempts as Osian Phillips, Andrew Phillips and Rhys Davies featured but when the Borderers had hooker Marc Jones sin-binned late on, Phillips added a third three-pointer to make the game safe for the Preseli Men – although to be fair to both teams they deserve a pat on the back for competing so strongly in such awful conditions.

Sam Phillips - three vital penalties for Crymych No 10

 
 

Kidwelly keep top spot with win over Seasiders

Kidwelly 28 - Tenby 15

Kidwelly maintained top spot in the section table as a result of their hard-fought win over a Tenby United side which seems to have seen its own title aspirations run out of steam.

The Seasiders could only muster an unconverted try by Dai Meyrick in a first half where they trailed 22-5 as home centre Dafydd Latham and winger Adam Davies crossed for tries and outside half Jamie Evans punished Tenby indiscretions by slotting two penalties as well as two conversions and a snap drop goal.

Tenby managed to raise the tempo in a better second half with tries for the livewire Wyndham Williams and Mark Heywood but they were denied even a bonus point as Latham crossed for his second try that saw Kidwelly claim their ninth win from ten starts and inflict a disappointing fourth loss on the Seasiders!
 

Dai Meyrick - scored a try for Tenby

 

Division Three (West) B:

Skipper Gethin guides Laugharne to victory

Laugharne 28 - Llangwm 0

Two second-half tries by scrum half and skipper Gethin Jones helped Laugharne to a comfortable win over a Llangwm side which never gave up trying but didn’t have the finishing power of the more experienced home team.

But the Wasps limited Laugharne to a six-point interval lead as they tackled and covered well so all Laugharne could muster were two penalties from centre Tom Jameson.

But then skipper Jones intervened as he darted through for two tries, the second converted by Jameson, to make the game safe.

Pacy winger Thomas Thomas also sped over for an unconverted try to put his side 23-0 ahead at the break whilst centre Tom James added a fourth try for Laugharne in the second period which not only ensured victory but earned them a bonus point for their efforts.
 

‘Pasty’ powers Mariners to excellent win

Milford Haven 32 - Aberaeron 0

James ‘Pasty’ Passmore was the man of the match for Milford Haven as the powerful flanker grabbed a try and generally featured in all the Mariners did in their excellent win over Aberaeron at the Observatory Field.

‘Pasty’ used to play prop but has transformed his fitness to such a degree that he is now a vital cog in the well-oiled forward machine that player/coach Mark Wonnacott now has at his disposal.

The Mariners’ pack was praised after the game by team manager James Hall and they served notice of intent on Aberaeron early on with a penalty try from an attacking scrum five, although Leigh Broome somehow missed the simple conversion.

But Broome found the target before the interval when Passmore ploughed over after a sustained period of pressure prised open the visitors’ defence.

Powerful prop Nathan Rees joined player/coach Wonnacott on the scoresheet and then winger Craig Jones showed he still has a nose for tries as he rounded off some sharp handling with two more unconverted tries that keep them deservedly in third place with their seventh victory from nine outings.

James Passmore - man of the match for Milford

 

Seagulls soar after slow start

Neyland 7 - Fishguard & Goodwick 72

Fishguard and Goodwick maintained their 100% start to the campaign with their eighth win in as many matches, running in no fewer than 12 tries against the All Blacks, whose only points came in the second period as Delme Bateman raced over and Mark Riley added the extra points.

But the All Blacks played well for the first half hour as they trailed to an unconverted try by Seagulls’ back rower Simon James.

But then they missed a few tackles and found themselves conceding another 19 points in the final ten minutes of the half as Gavin Walsh, Mel McVeigh and James Griffiths added three more tries, two of them converted by Griffiths.

Griffiths also opened the second half scoring with seven points before other tries came in quick succession from Walsh, flanker Mark George, replacement Mike Jenkins (2), Walsh again (his third), full back Ed Bendall and James again, alongside three more conversions for Griffiths which earned him a personal tally of 22 points.

 

Gavin Walsh - try hat-trick for Fishguard & Goodwick

 

Colman double spurs Scarlets on

Pembroke 22 - St Clears 13

Two tries from powerful flanker Dom Colman helped Pembroke secure victory over St Clears at Crickmarren but not before the Scarlets had been pushed all the way by a Saints’ team coached by former Scarlet and Tenby player Gary Price.

Both teams understandably looked a little ring rusty in the prevailing conditions and after so little recent rugby – but it was Pembroke who opened the scoring with a good support try from second rower Scott Powell which Sion Dalling converted.

But the Saints fought back with two well-struck penalties from Matthew Lewis before the Scarlets had veteran prop Richard ‘Spud’ Mason leading the way and had Colman’s first try right on the interval to establish a 12-6 interval advantage.

The Saints made the better start to the second period and took the lead for the first time when prop Dafydd Page crossed for a try and Lewis added the extra points.

This reverse stung the homesters into an awareness that this could be a game they could lose and as they applied a tweezer grip of pressure up front they had further tries, from Colman and the equally powerful Sam Smith.

Both went unconverted but victory was assured for Pembroke, their seventh alongside two defeats, as they remain in contention in the table’s top four.

Dom Colman - two tries for Pembroke flanker

Quins win basement battle

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 29 - St Davids 5

Pembroke Dock Harlequins gained a welcome second win as a boost to this relatively disappointing campaign, overcoming a St Davids’ outfit embroiled at the foot of the table and still looking for a first league success.

The Quins were able to welcome back to the fold players of the calibre of Barry Parsons, Chad Martin, Jason Keats and Neil Brace and they moved smartly into a 19-0 interval lead as scrum half Nathan George, hooker Brace and No 8 Barry Parsons all scored tries, two of them converted by Parsons as he formed a productive back-row partnership with Alex Pearce and Steff Halwood.

Jack Jones scored an unconverted Saints’ try in the second half as reward for never giving up but the Quins had two more tries, both from winger Ryan Neilson, to allow them to start the New Year with a welcome taste of success.

Ryan Neilson - two tries for Quins' winger