PHOTO:
Alun Harries drives hard for Milford against Pembroke

 

Featured Match:

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Mariners celebrate Ian Jones Cup win at Crickmarren

Pembroke 10 - Milford Haven 14

Milford Haven bounced back from defeat against St Clears the previous week by beating Pembroke at Crickmarren to avenge an earlier 24-22 reverse at home against The Scarlets and in doing so won the Ian Jones Memorial Cup, which is competed for annually between these old rivals over two legs annually.

Both these sides are still capable of winning the section silverware and defied the dreadful weather conditions to serve up a match that was full of commitment and no little skill in the circumstances.

Milford were without several key players but defended well in a tight first half and claimed the only points when a floated pass in a home attack allowed Archie Smithies to accept a gift score as he was never going to be caught on a 45 metre run to the posts before No 10 Jamie Barnett added the easy extra points.

The Scarlets were also minus some experienced players and had their moments in the bottom corner, none more so than when powerhouse flanker Dom Colman ploughed towards the line but was unable to get his pass away to supporting players.

But Pembroke reduced the deficit early in the second half when winger Barry John showed real determination to hold off a couple of would-be tacklers on a surge to the corner but Luke Hartland was unable to add the difficult conversion.

For The Mariners, Chris Hall, skipper Jamie Parr, Mike Cockburn and Ben Groves were always in the thick of things and they added another seven vital points when their man of the match, Alun Harries, ploughed through for a try which Jamie Barnett converted.

It says much for Pembroke’s determination that they refused to submit and a clever chip through by replacement Rhys Johns allowed Barry John to grab his second try, again unconverted, but other half chances came and went and Mariners’ coach Steve Barnett was delighted with the way his side had responded with victory after defeat seven days earlier.

Pembroke: Luke Hartland: Simon Stanford; Matthew Lewis; Tom Kinnear; Barry John: Lewis Davies; Tom Lewis: Lloyd Davies; Max Hayward; Johnny Palmer: Scott Powell; Will Edwards: Dom Colman; Jordan Gwilliam; Cyle Weatherall. Replacements: Jamie Brayford; Jim Brace; Rhys Johns.

Milford Haven: Lee Riley: Ben Jenkins; Dan Birch; Dan Jenkins; Josh Thomas: Jamie Barnett; Dan McClelland: Jamie Parr; Luke Ryan; Mike Cockburn: Archie Smithies; Chris Hall: Ben Groves; Ryan Mansell; Alun Harries. Replacements: Dean McSparron; Dai Sweeny; Lee Devonald; Sean Devonald.

 

Championship:

Late missed conversations cost Otters dear

Beddau 29 - Narberth 28

There was a topsy-turvy match at Beddau before the home team edged through by a single point over a Narberth outfit which had looked really sharp in establishing an early 15-3 lead and in clawing their way back from a 28-15 deficit.

The Otters did this by grabbing two late scores but both conversions were off target, the first rattling the woodwork from what looked like an easy position, and the latter just off target from wide out, to the evident relief of a partisan home crowd.

Leading the way with an excellent performance in midfield was centre Ollie Reyland, who was praised afterwards by a Beddau spokesman, and he joined hooker Dan Smith on the visitors’ try sheet as Nick Gale added a conversion and penalty.

At that point all Beddau had to show for their efforts was a penalty by Hywel Chatham but they pulled back to 15-all at the interval with tries from hooker Jack Dando and flanker Jordan Goodwin and a Chatham conversion.

Dando added a second try alongside one from scrum half Carl Lewis, both converted by Chatham, and it looked all over bar the shouting until The Otters raised the tempo and a Nick Gale penalty, plus further late tries by Gethin Gibby and Gale gave them the chance of avenging a 26-11 reverse against Beddau but it was not to be – and the only consolation for Sean Gale’s team was the fact that they picked up two bonus points for their considerable part in this absorbing clash!

PHOTO:
Ollie Reyland - try for outstanding Narberh centre

 

Division One (West)

Borderers fade in second half

Kidwelly 41 - Whitland 19

Whitland looked likely to achieve a third league win on the trot at half time as they led league leaders Kidwelly by 19-11 but they were unable to maintain their momentum thereafter and Kidwelly added 30 unanswered points to complete a double since they had edged home by 25-22 at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn.

Scrum half Adam Davies played an influential first-half role for Richard Jones’ team with several darting runs and there were useful performances up front by experienced second rowers Dai Ebsworth and Raff Williams, plus the back row of Andrew Howells, No 8 Gareth Bennett and skipper Jack Mason.

Whitland tries came from winger Deian Augustus, centre Rhys Sivorney and Zac France-Miller, who played really well at prop instead of his regular place in the back row, with outside half Nico Setaro converting two of them.

But Kidwelly certainly raised the tempo after the oranges and in total they scored six tries by Liam Smith, Tom Rogers (2), Gareth Rees (2) and Alex Davies, with Rees notching four conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 21 points.

Whitland: Lloyd Williams: Deian Augustus; Rhys Sivorney; Alan Howells; Sean Coles: Nico Setaro; Adam Davies: Zac France-Miller; Marc Jones; Jack Dewhurst: Raff Williams; Dai Ebsworth: Andrew Howells; Jack Mason (Capt); Gareth Bennett.

PHOTO:
Rhys Shivorney - deserved try for Whitland centre

 

Match postponed at Parc Lloyd Thomas

Crymych P-P Gorseinon (5)

 

Division Two (West):

Splendid revenge win for Seagulls

Fishguard & Goodwick 30 - Pontyberem 15  

When Fishguard & Goodwick played at Pontyberem they were thumped 67-7 but in this reverse fixture, played on the school pitch because The Moors was plainly too heavy, The Seagulls raised their tempo and proved worthy winners as reward for an excellent all-round team performance.

Leading the way was skipper Gavin Walsh, plus the dynamic back row of Chris Shousha, Luke Freebury and especially No 8 Simon James, who was chosen as man of the match by the sponsors.

But this was a good display by the whole pack as locks Richard Hunter and Gwilym Evans were tireless workers alongside props Ryan McVeigh and Neil Perkins so that half backs Andrew Williams and Kial Keane could control things behind the scrum.

The Seagulls led 17-10 at half time as Matthew Murphy cross for Pontyberem to with the conversion and a penalty by Mike Sauro as Gwilym Evans, Chris Shousha and Simon James claimed Fishguard tries, the first converted by Keane.

The visitors managed a second try after the break, this time by Iestyn Morgan but good defence from James Reynolds, Ed Bendall, Steff Evans, Mike Jenkins, Ben John and replacements kept them at bay so that a further try by the ubiquitous Shousha alongside the conversion and two penalties by Keane, earned Fishguard and Goodwick a very satisfying verdict.

Fishguard & Goodwick: James Reynolds: Ed Bendall; Mike Jenkins; Ben John; Steffan Evans: Kial Keane; Andrew Williams: Ryan McVeigh; Gavin Walsh (Capt); Neil Perkins: Richard Hunter; Gwilym Evans: Luke Freebury; Chris Shousha; Simon James. Replacements: Alun George; Liam Wilks; Kevin Ormond; Jake Jenkins; Andrew Morrillo.

 PHOTO:
Gwilym Evans - try for Fishguard's powerful second row

 

Seasiders thwarted by bad weather

Tenby P-P Llanybydder

 

PHOTO:
Llangwm and Neyland battle in the mud at Pill Parks

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

All Blacks win a Pill Parks’ mud bath

Llangwm 3 - Neyland 36

Neyland overcame Llangwm in dreadful conditions at Pill Parks which left supporters from both camps debating whether they had ever seen the pitch cut up so badly – and where both teams (and referee Colin Phillips) deserved medals for completing this tussle between old and very committed rivals.

The tackling was typically ferocious and although the visitors eventually ran in six tries and The Wasps could only muster a first-half penalty from Steve Picton, play was actually closer than the final scoreline might suggest.

Pacy winger Delme Bateman grabbed two good tries for The All Blacks, the first set up by teenage centre George Williams and veteran player/coach Steve Martin, who then put Williams in for their second score before Bateman put in a 40 metre dash after good work by outside half Jonathan Lloyd.

Pleasing for Neyland was the fact that as well as centre Williams they also had other youth players in flanker Alex Codd and Eugene Price, who was making his first team debut, but it was veteran second row Chris Busby who scored their fourth try before prop Craig Power and scrum half Adam Cawley rounded off their try scoring.

Scrum half Mark Riley, who played well alongside Adam Collins in keeping things going forward for the All Blacks, landed two conversions whilst No 10 Lloyd slotted a third before referee Phillips called a halt to proceedings and both teams sped for a deserved hot shower!

 

Laugharne too strong for Saints in second half

Laugharne 55 - St Davids 8

Laugharne ran in 43 unanswered points in the second half of their match against a gritty St Davids’ side which opened the scoring and were only 12-8 behind after the first 40 minutes.

Full back Rhys Morgan gave The Saints an early unconverted try and Dafydd Williams announced his return from a hot Australia to land a penalty in conditions which to him must have seemed Arctic!

The visitors also had another committed display, this time at scrum half, from coach Ianto Davies, who linked well with No 8 Gethin Bateman, whilst skipper Rhys ‘Loshin’ Price also battled hard to keep huis team going.

But Laugharne, who had won 78-0 in St Davids, had first half tries by wingers Gareth Spiers and Jack Morris, one converted by Tom Jameson before the floodgates opened and more tries came from Spiers and Morris, plus a penalty try, flanker Mike Williams and Tom Jameson, plus replacements Steffan Davies and Steve Brown.

Jameson also notched another four conversions, no mean feat in worsening conditions, and although there was no doubting Laugharne’s superior play The Saints again deserved credit for battling until the final whistle.

 

No play possible at wet Bierspool

Pembroke Dock Harlequins P-P Tregaron

 

Mutual postponement after Teifisiders’ bereavement

St Clears P-P Cardigan

This top of the table clash was postponed in midweek by mutual agreement after a sad bereavement in the Cardigan camp.