PHOTO:
Centre Gareth Owen scores a cracking try for The Blues

Division Three (West)

Blues bag late win over Cardis

Haverfordwest 22 - Cardigan 20

 
A late try from pacy winger Scott Candler helped Haverfordwest gain a narrow win at home to Cardigan, who ate least had a losing bonus point to take back over the Preselis as reward for their hard work.
 
To be fair to both teams there was clear evidence of ring rustiness after so many weeks of inactivity but coaches Simon Lepetit (Haverfordwest) and Colin Davies (Cardigan) must have been relieved to see their teams back in action.
 

Fortunes ebb and flow

 
It was Cardigan who made the early running when good work by Dafydd Watkins and Marcus Castle in midfield allowed winger Sion Hughes to race over for an unconverted try.
 
But The Blues soon bounced back as Lee Summons, Liam Mainwaring and Ross McKenzie created enough space for Gareth Owen to dive over for another unconverted try which levelled matters.
 
The Teifisiders bounced back with a well-worked try for No 10 Tom Dunne which skipper John Lumb, playing at full back, converted and then added a penalty to put his team 15-5 to the good.
 

Baker boosts Blues’ chances

 
Home full back Rhys Baker looked solid in defence but also showed his attacking prowess as he reduced the deficit with a try which youth team replacement Jake Williams, on for Summons at scrum half, converted.
 
Baker added his second try to haul The Blues ahead for the first time but as fortunes ebbed and flowed the Cardis fought back with a try from prop Ben Hughes in the 75^th minute.
 
It looked as though Haverfordwest would have to settle for a losing bonus point but right on time Candler struck – and although the conversion hit the post and bounced out it mattered little because Haverfordwest were able to claim victory – and the luxury of a bonus point for scoring four tries.
 
Haverfordwest: Rhys Baker: Dave O’Leary; Russ McKenzie; Gareth Owen; Scott Candler: Liam Mainwaring; Lee Summons: Cole Barry; Jamie Zambas; Tom Carrington: Karl Busch; Jack Clancy: Steve Thomas; Morgan Layton. Replacements: Matthew Clayton; Mark Wilson; Kyle Hamer; Lewis Wood; Jack Morgan; Hywel Churchill.
 
Cardigan: John Lumb (Capt); Sion Hughes; Dafydd Watkins; Marcus Castle; William James Delve: Tomos Dunne; Llyr Jones: Ben Hughes; Andrew Jones; Michael Ryan: Toby Neilson; Sion Hughes: Tomos Taylor; Gruffydd Lewis; Llyr Griffiths. Replacements:Andrew Fletcher, Kieran Hurley; Russ Hasler; Rhydian Jenkins; Colin Davies.
 

Scarlets run amok in Mid Wales

Tregaron 12 - Pembroke 81

 
Pembroke produced a powerhouse performance at Tregaron which moved them back to the top of the section table with two games still in hand, leading by 34-5 at half time and finally finishing with 13 tries and eight conversions.
 
It completed a high-scoring double for coach Geraint Lewis’s boys because they had already beaten Tregaron by 79-14 at Crickmarren.
 
Lewis has assembled a very strong squad and proof of this could be found by the appearance at hooker of Tim Sharp after Seamus Wiseman, Max Hayward and Liam Manwaring had all been injured, whilst another hooker in Jim Brace also featured from the bench.
 

Pembroke pack power pays off

 
The Pembroke pack was on top from the outset as Johnny Palmer, Sharp and man of the match Jamie Brayford were rock solid and skipper Scott Powell was joined in the engine room by Cyle Weatherall, who certainly supplemented the ball winning capacities of Dom Colman, Sam Smith and Rhodri Walters in the back row.
 
It was Colman who opened the scoring with a try converted by Toby Smith, who also added the third try after a typical score by winger Simon Stanford was neatly sandwiched in between.
 
Colman’s second put the Scarlets 22 points to the good before Tregaron claimed a try for their efforts in a rare period of pressure
 

Tries galore after the interval

 
But Pembroke were quickly back on the offensive with further tries by flanker Rhodri Walters and classy centre Dan Colley, who also opened the second-half scoring with a try converted by scrum half Tom Lewis, giving a break for Toby Smith, who had a slight leg strain in the biting cold weather.
 
Sam Smith added his name to the scoresheet and replacement centre Elliott Evans sped over and Lewis converted to send The Scarlets past the 50-mark.
 
It says much for Tregaron’s determination that they managed to add a converted try before Cyle Weatherall scored a try, Evans grabbed his second and Simon Stanford showed his pace with a hat-trick of tries, three converted by Lewis and the final one slotted by Toby Smith.
 
Pembroke:
Luke Brayford: Fraser James; Dan Colley; Sean Dalling; Simon Stanford: Toby Smith; Tom Lewis: Jamie Brayford; Tom Sharp; Johnny Palmer: Scott Powell (Capt); Cyle Wetherall: Dom Colman; Rhodri Walters; Sam Smith. Replacements: Jim Brace; Elliott Evans; Jordan Gwilliam; Connor Evans; Billy Wood.

PHOTO:
Simon Stanford grabbed a try hat-trick for Pembroke