Premiership Cup (Round One):

 

Late Harries drop goal takes Wanderers through

 

Llanelli Wanderers 26 - Narberth 25

 
A last-ditch dropped goal by outside half Rhys Harries,  helped Llanelli Wanderers edge through to the second round against Narberth after they had been without a league win so far – and now play The Otters again next Saturday, hoping to pick up vital league points.

 
It looked as if Narberth would win this cup fixture as experienced fly half Nico Setaro, who had a good game, had only just dropped a goal to nudge The Otters into a 25-23 lead but as they tucked the ball up their collective jumpers late on it was The Wanderers who had one last chance by turning the ball over and sweeping up field,  and Harries dropped a goal against his former team mates to give his side victory by the narrowest of margins in a topsy-turvy tussle.

 
Flanker Steffan Phillips and full back Nick Gale are also ex-Otters and the latter player exerted the kind of influence he showed at The Lewis Lloyd Ground as he slotted a penalty, added a try which he converted after a canny cross-kick by Harries. And Gale slotted his second penalty after Narberth had fought back to take a 12-10 lead with tries from winger Dean James and centre Aled Davies, the first converted by Setaro.

 
In the second half the lead changed hands again as Setaro added three points before Gale again kicked a penalty – but replacement Kyle Hamer’s contribution was rewarded with a try, goaled by Setaro, only for The Wanderers to be awarded a penalty try after another clever Harries cross kick gave Gale a 2-on-1
 situation and Harry Fuller was adjudged to deliberately knock on - and get a yellow card for his trouble.
 

Then in those dramatic late moments, Setaro put The Otters back in front, only for Harries to recoup the lead for the homesters.
 

Roy Osborn was chosen as Narberth man of the match but it was a bad day for his team because they lost staunch second row Caleb Salmon with a broken leg, pacy full back Llew Jones with a dislocated shoulder and prop Tom Slater was accidentally knocked out and had to be replaced.
 

Llanelli Wanderers:
Nick Gale:  Jacob Williams: Josh Weeds; Rhydian Morgan; Owain Davies:  Rhys Harries; Luca Setaro: Keelan Jewell;  Dion Roberts; Alex Williams: Sam Williams; Jake Baker: Ben Chiffi; Callum Williams (Capt); Steffan Williams. Replacements: Lewis Ellar; Elgan Morgan; Gareth Havard; Ryan Evans; Sianco
 Morgan; Dylan Lewis; Jonny George; Max Jenkins.

Narberth:
Llew Jones:  Harry Fuller; Ifan Phillips; Aled Davies; Dean James: Nico Setaro; Josh Thomas:  Luke Tucker; Tom Clarke; Tom Slater: Sam Martin; Caleb Salmon: Jac Bennett; Tom Powell (Capt); Roy Osborn. Replacements:  Josh Wriggleswiorth; Kyle Hamer; Ryan Rees; Dewi Williams; Rhys Williams; Lewys Gibby; Ashley Sutton; Harrison Griffiths.
 
 
 

Division One Cup (Round One):

 

Seasiders stifle Swans Uplands’ efforts

 

Swansea Uplands 29 - Tenby United 33

 
Tenby United moved into the second round as they beat Swansea Uplands, who play in the same division but have a draw and a loss from their opening two games, whilst The Seasiders had won their only league tussle so far – but it was The Uplands who made the batter start as they led 10-o through a try by Dafydd Lewis, converted by Peter Anson to go with a well-struck penalty.
 
But flanker Dan Colley claimed his first try of the season but Anson served notice of his kicking ability with two more penalties before a quickly-taken penalty by scrum half Fletcher Broadhurst, converted by half-back partner Harry Rossiter, saw them restrict their half time deficit to 10-16
 
With their evident power up front, The Seasiders mauled the home side off the park after the break, with Fletcher Broadhurst grabbing his second try alongside other from Luke Dedman and Kodi Bratcher, both converted by Rossiter alongside a two-pointer  by Geraint Thomas – but The Uplands kept in touch with a try from  Dan Stevens, converted by Anson alongside two more penalties to take his personal haul to 19 points.
 
There were a few nervy late moments after Colley, who had formed an excellent back row with Tom Barrass and young man of the match Jesse James, was shown a second yellow card after the first perhaps unluckily coming from a general warning to the entire team and then for not heeding the referee’s instruction to not participate in a ruck.
 
But the experience of skipper Alex Jenkins and Luke Dedman, alongside front rowers Will Fox, Kyle Rossither and Ethan Morgan, kept their line intact and now they must wait to see who they play in the second round.
 
Tenby United:
Geraint Jones: Kodi Bratcher; Liam Price; Tom Edmonds; Gwion Jones: Harry Rossiter; Fletcher Broadhurst: Will Fox; Kyle Rossiter; Ethan Morgan: Alex Jenkins (Capt); Luke Dedman: Tom Barrass; Jesse James; Dan Colley. Replacements: James Morgan; Rhys Grigg; Iorri Richards;  Frankie Boyd; Cam Broadhurst; Jordan Asparassa,
 
 

Division Three Cup (Round One):

 

Blues beaten at Bryncoch

 

Bryncoch 26 - Haverfordwest 19

 
Bryncoch showed they were no walkovers as they opened their scoring with a try from close range from their number 7 Bryn Thomas and followed this up with a try by No 8 and captain Josh Thomash, with a strong run to the posts after some poor defence by The Blues defence, converted by centre Shay Sheppard.
 
Haverfordwest started to take control of the game after that and had a try from winger Logun Young after a great diving finish before winger Scott Candler then found a great line and broke through the centres to finish off a lovely move. This was converted by Jake Morgan to make it 12-12.

Adam Phillips, starting his first game since rejoining the club from Narberth had a penalty just missed to end the first half after a period of pressure on the Bryncoch line.
 
The home side started the 2nd half better and had a try in the corner from their left winger  Scott Radford, and a great conversion by Waldeck to make it 19-12.

Bryncoch looked to have won the game with 10 minutes to go after Haverfordwest turned down the chance for three points and decided to tap and go, resulting in a turnover and seconds later the Bryncoch number 8  Josh Thomas was again leading by example, storming clear under the posts, with Waldeck’s easier conversion making it 26-12.
 
Haverfordwest had a late push to get something from the game and captain Jack Evans grabbed an interception try and ran in under the posts to close the gap to 7 points with just 5 minutes to go. The Blues spent the remainder of the game in the Bryncoch 22 but couldn't get the try they needed.
 
Management summary: A below-par performance and some work to do as they return to league action next week.
 
 
 

Otters’ Seconds slop up against Trebanos

 

Narberth Athletic 22 - Resolven 25

 
Narberth Athletic bowed out of Third Division Cup as they went down to defeat against a fare more experienced Resolven side which had fewer chances but turned periods of pressure into five tries, all unconverted,  but with a points tally just enough to claim a first victory of the season – as The Otters’ seconds played lots of running rugby at pace but their final outcomes didn’t match their intentions as there were handling and kicking errors galore.
 
And so Resolven, who had a number of new players some lovely supporters sitting by me didn’t even know their names, opened their account with a try by experienced second row and then bustling winger Jay Pritchard. – before Narberth Athletic finally held on to the ball long enough for prop Jay Nrcoss to pile over in the clubhouse corner and Andrew Williams added the conversion.
 
 But right on half time Resolven built up the pressure for flanker Aeron Lewis to score, giving them a 15-7 interval lead.
 
Narberth had the better of the third quarter and young winger Ashton O’Riordan dived over in the corner for a cracking try and then No 8  Kieran Allen drove through for the line and centre Brad Cramb added the extras to give the homesters the lead for the first time, albeit by only 22-20.
 
But Resolven weren’t finished as feisty little winger  Owain Vaughan did well after the father and son duo of No 8 Cameron Harvey and No 10 Josh Harvey had featured – and there was to ne more clear-cut chances for The Athletic as they again added to their experience since they were promoted.
 
Narberth:
Iori Lewis: Iestyn Doble; Brad Cramb; Will Davies (Capt); Ashton O’Riordan: Andrew Williams; Elliott Evans: Declan Cole; Rhys Jenkins; Jac Norcross; Henry Foster; Dan Owen: Steve Thomas; Wil Nicholas; Kieran Allen. Replacements:  Gareth Clifford; Kyle Williams; Cory Nelson; Tom Parsells; Lewis Reed, Rhys Kemble; Huw Evans;   Matt Harries; Rhydian Jones.
 
 

WRU Division 4 Cup:

 

Lacklustre Saints struggle in the rain

 

St Davids 0 - Penybanc 15

 
An error-strewn display from St Davids saw the hosts knocked out of their WRU Cup competition by Penybanc, writes Fraser Watson.
 
A match plagued by heavy rain was largely controlled by the visitors, who were ahead within four minutes when early pressure culminated in a simple penalty for No.10 Aled Rees Jones.
 
The Saints struggled to put phases together and three times lost lineouts on their throw in the opening quarter, although they did defend resolutely as Penybanc camped in their 22 - with centre Adam Phillips making one try-saving tackle near his own line.
 
However, from a defensive scrum, No.9 Mike Gurney's pass went astray and over the dead ball line, and from the set piece that followed Penybanc centre Tana Evans crashed over for a try that Rees Jones converted.
 
The second half followed a similar pattern, and although Saints full back Fred Dorn stood out as he tried to run hard from deep, and No.8 Dafydd Williams frequently made ground off a retreating scrum, handling mistakes meant the home side were unable to get the field position they needed to threaten.
 
Indeed, the visitors sealed the win late on as conditions worsened, with Rees-Jones kicking a penalty into the corner and from the lineout drive, prop Shaun James touched down.
 
"We were just flat from the beginning," admitted St Davids head coach Bruce Evans afterwards. 
 
"We conceded two tries against a side who had nearly all the possession and we didn't look like scoring. It was disappointing given where we looked like we've been going this season."
 
St Davids:
Fred Dorn: Luke Bamford; Adam Phillips; Harvey Lavin;  Bob Froy: Ben Joyce; Mike Gurney: Adam Williams; Rhys Price; Dan Murphy: Iestyn Owen; Charlie Lavin: Aaron Foster; Cameron Sapsford; Daf Williams. Replacements: Ben Lloyd; George Scale; Osian Sutton; Danny Voyce; Will Savage
 
 
 

National League – Division Two (West)

 

Nant win in points fiesta

 

Nantgaredig 49 - Whitland 34

 
There were points galore in this entertaining clash at Nantgaredig as the home side grabbed six tries and visiting Whitland also claimed half a dozen scores – but in the final analysis the kicking skills of outside half Lloyd Willems, with a personal haul of 19 points from five conversions and three penalties, proved decisive
 
Nant’s tries came from Logan Davies (3), Mason Davies, Rhys Morgan and Daf Jones as Lloyd Williams featured throughout and after Shane Rossiter had opened The Borderers’ account with a well struck penalty, with their tries coming from experienced centre Mike Georgiou,  scrum half Rhys Nicholas, No 8 and skipper Dan Bennett, second row Beji Kirk and winger Morgan Lewis., three of them converted by Rossiter as all Whitland’s fantastic efforts saw them only claim a single bonus point.
 
Whitland:
Tom Day: Morgan Lewis; Lucas Dance; Mike Georgiou; Ben Williams: Shane Rossiter; Rhys Nicholas: Trystan Bowen; Matt Driver; Ceiron Evans: Benji Kirk; Nick Greene: Thomas Iraia;  Gavin Smith; Dan Bennett (Capt). Replacements:  Jonny Phillips; Alan Proctor; Jack Jenkins; Luke Watkins; Gareth Davies.
 
 
 
ALL OTHER CUP AND LEAGUE MATCHES were POSTPONED -  Which means a £350 fine for offending clubs in the cup, withdrawal from the competition this season and next season!