PHOTO:
Seagulls' skipper Gavin Walsh on a charge

 

Feature match:

 

Division Two (West):

 

Seagulls slip up at The Moors

Fishguard & Goodwick 14 - Tycroes  22

Fishguard and Goodwick had their chances to beat promotion-chasing Tycroes at The Moors but in the final analysis they failed to take their chances whilst Tycroes showed them how to turn pressure into points.

At no time was it more evident than soon after the interval where The Seagulls had reduced Tycroes’s lead to 7-17 but then No 10 Alun George had his kick charged down, the Seagulls failed to secure possession and a chip through by No 10 Dean Bromham saw centre Steve Roach gratefully accept a gift score for Tycroes which secured them a bonus point.

Fishguard started well enough but with the breeze at their backs the visitors showed some crisp handling orchestrated by half backs Aled James and Bromham, who scored the opening try and created the space for another by powerful winger Elgan Griffiths, the former score converted by winger Darrell John.

Then Tycroes added a third right on the stroke of half time when No 8 Steffan Jones ploughed his way over the line – but Fishguard responded well after the interval when powerful surges by Ryan McVeigh and Gwilym Evans saw Chris Shousha emerge with the ball before George added an excellent conversion.

The breeze dropped for a while so The Seagulls lost a little advantage as fortunes ebbed and flowed – but it was Tycroes who added that soft try before Fishguard scored the try of the match when they secured possession deep in their own 22 and quick hands from Mike Jenkins and Ben John sent full back Ed Bendall on a 7-metre run to the posts for George to add the extra points.

But home hopes of a late come-back were halted by a well-organised Tycroes defence and they left Fishguard without even the consolation of a bonus point as they followed up their more convincing 34-10 home win to deny The Seagulls anything to show for their efforts in an entertaining tussle.

PHOTO:
Elgan Griffiths scores Tycroes's second try

 

Championship:

 

Otters lose momentum after skipper departs

Narberth 18 - Skewen 11

Narberth gained their expected win over a Skewen side that is languishing in ninth place in the table but after leading 18-3 at half time The Otters seemed to lose their way after skipper Alex Jenkins had departed with a chest injury – and the need for uncontested scrums certainly didn’t help their cause either!

The Otters had already won by 31-24 in Skewen but the visitors showed they were up for a battle as they took the lead after nine minutes when outside half Andy Buselli slotted a penalty.

But good work by the Otter pack saw a try carved out after 16 minutes for winger Jake Jenkins which Jonathan Rogers goaled before also adding a penalty.

Seven minutes later Narberth increased their lead as scrum half Rhys lane set up a try for winger Liam Hutchings and although Rogers was off target with the conversion he made amends near the interval with a penalty.

At this stage a home win looked a banker but in the second period Skewen scored the only points from an unconverted try by centre Kevin James to go with a second Buselli penalty which earned Skewen a bonus point as Narberth settled for a low-key win that confirms their place in second sport.
 

Liam Hutchings - good try for Narberth flier

 

Division One (West):

 

Wanderers complete a Borderers’ double

Llanelli Wanderers 34 - Whitland 16

Whitland suffered the disappointment of defeat at Llanelli Wanderers and in doing so conceded the double since they had already lost 36-23 to The Wanderers at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn.

Sadly, this defeat dragged The Borderers back into the relegation mire since fellow-sufferers Gowerton enjoyed a bonus-point win at Crymych.

Zac France-Miller scored The Borderers’ only try as reward for all his hard work alongside the conversion, two penalties and a dropped goal by Nico Setaro.

But The Wanderers ran in four tries through Jonathan Jenkins, Elgan Morgan, Dafydd Daniel and a penalty try, with all of them converted by Jonathan George to go with two well-struck penalties that helped keep the home side in second spot in the section table.
 

Nico Setaro - another 11 points in Whitland defeat

Preseli Men disappoint at home

Crymych 7 - Gowerton 31

Crymych had edged their way to a 21-20 victory when they played Gowerton earlier in the season but seem to have lost their edge of late with this second loss on the trot, especially since the opposition were languishing in the basement battle.

The Preseli men trailed 0-12 at half time at Parc Lloyd Thomas as Jonathan Jenkins and Elgan Morgan scored Gowerton tries, one converted by Josh Hamer.

Hamer also slotted another two conversions after the interval from a penalty try and a score claimed by Dafydd Daniel, with Hamer adding two penalties as a bonus that helped earn Gowerton a deserved win.
 

Tomos Phillips - scored Crymych's only try

 

Division Two (West):

 

Blues denied as missed chances cost them dear

Carmarthen Athletic 19 - Haverfordwest 17

Haverfordwest came close to a second win on the trot before missing out by only two points against Carmarthen Athletic as they suffered understandable over-eagerness when chances came their way – and conceded penalties in key areas that were punished to the full by home kicker Scott Maynard.

The Blues actually outscored The Athletic by two tries to one after opening the scoring with a good pressure try by prop Ben Llewellyn which Danny Morgan converted but they trailed 7-9 at the oranges as Maynard notched three penalties.

Maynard added a fourth penalty soon after the restart and converted a try by Carwyn Thomas before The Blues had a good try by Gareth John which Morgan converted.

Gareth John also added a penalty but sadly there was no further scoring and Haverfordwest slip back into division three next season after just one campaign at this level.
 

PHOTO:
Gareth John - more points for Haverfordwest

 

Seasiders too strong for Tumble

Tumble 17 - Tenby 43

Tenby United maintained their strong thrust for promotion as they completed a deserved double at Tumble and although there are three teams above them in the table The Seasiders know that their future is in their own hands if they continue to play like this.

The Seasiders already led by 17-3 at the interval after a Leighton McKenna penalty got Tumble off to a good start – but The Seasiders replied well through tries by outside half Toby Smith (which he also converted), full back Ashley Sutton and flanker Andrew Cook.

Powerful winger Mauritz Neumann and skipper Luke Hansford added further Tenby tries which Smith goaled and although Tumble managed tries from James Stephens and McKenna, both of which were converted by the latter, they were never really in the hunt.

Ashley Sutton crowned a good performance with his second try alongside another for No 8 Barry Parsons to go with a Smith conversion – and The Seasiders claimed a deserved double after an earlier 56-35 victory over Tumble at Heywood Lane.   
 

PHOTO:
Ashley Sutton - two more tries for Tenby full back

 

PHOTO:
Mariners' Craig Barnett is held up by the Cardigan defence

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Mariners ruin Cardigan title hopes

Milford Haven 24  Cardigan 0

Cardigan’s hopes of bonus-point victories in their final three matches were brought to an abrupt halt at The Observatory Field in the first of them as they were outplayed by an excellent Milford Haven side which led 7-0 at half time and created a bonus point by extending their try count to four in a more one-sided second period.

The Mariners’ victory leaves St Clears as trophy winners as reward for their greater consistency and young coach Michael Jones and his team deserve credit for their success.

There was no scoring until the final moments of a tight first half when cardigan were on the attack but lost possession – and Lee Riley picked up and sent second row Archie Smithies out of his own 22 on a 75-metre run to the posts before Craig Barnett added the conversion.

This reverse seemed to knock the stuffing out of The Teifisiders and they went further behind after 51 minutes when Barnett swung play from right to left and young flanker Ryan Mansell picked a perfect line to cut through for an unconverted try.

Then powerful prop Adam Rees popped up on the outside of a move to crash over the line and The Mariners finished in style with a cracking try by right winger Jimmy Thomas, who sliced through from 40 metres out and Barnett added the simplest of conversions to help his team gain revenge for a 19-8 defeat at the King George Vth Playing Fields much earlier in the season.

The teams also met at second XV level and the only minor consolation for The Cardis was the fact that they won this entertaining encounter by 46-42!

PHOTO:
Flanker Ryan Mansell races clear for a try for Milford

 

All Blacks end up on a high note

Neyland 38 - Tregaron 22

Neyland rounded off their season on a high note with a merited home win over Tregaron where they ran in six tries to their opponents three and gave the revenge for a narrow 30-27 defeat when the teams met in Mid Wales.

The All Blacks looked really sharp behind the scrum, led by full back Patrick Bellerby with a try brace alongside others from winger Ben Goodridge, experienced centre Adam Collins and player/coach Steve Martin. Talented young flanker Iestyn Evans also got his name on the try sheet as reward for his support play and Mark Riley, normally a half back but helping out again in the back row, slotted four conversions.

For Tregaron, No 10 Gwion Phillips scored a try, two conversions and a penalty, with other scores from Rhydian Jones and Mel Davies – but it was The All Blacks who held that extra edge in recording their ninth win from their 18 league games.

PHOTO:
Patrick Bellerby - two tries for Neyland No 15

 

Division Three (West) A Cup Competition:

 

Match abandoned as ref pulls a muscle
Pembroke Dock Harlequins 0 Pembroke 10
(Match abandoned after 30 minutes)

 
There was a real air of anti-climax at Bierspool as this eagerly anticipated local derby in the inaugural division cup competition had to be abandoned when the referee pulled a leg muscle and couldn’t continue.
At the time Pembroke were 10-0 ahead thanks to tries from scrum half Tom Lewis and flanker Harry Owen against a Quins’ side which was battling away nonetheless – but it will be interesting to see if and when this game is replayed so late in the season!