PHOTOS:
Dom Colman on a charge
Sam Smith off-loads
 

Feature Match:
 
Division Three (West) A:

 

Smith power steers Scarlets to derby success

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 14 - Pembroke 41

A hat-trick of tries from ebullient No 8 Sam Smith helped Pembroke gain a comfortable win over neighbours Pembroke Dock Harlequins at a packed Bierspool Ground but the home side deserve every praise for the way that they battled hard – but will look back on the fact that they conceded three tries in a slack ten-minute spell before half time when they were only 10-7 adrift.

Indeed, The Quins deservedly went ahead in a bright start as scrum half Bradley James made a half break to put partner Jake Griffiths over for a try which the outside half converted.

The Black and Whites also had another chance after good work by Steffan Halwood, Hywel Baker and skipper Thomas Doyle but Pembroke gradually brought their sharp-running backs into action alongside the power of Smith, skipper Scott Powell, Jordan Evans and Johnny Palmer – with unconverted tries from Sam Smith (set up by his brother Toby) and then Dom Colman (after a touch-line break from Elliott Evans.)

Then came that productive spell of 19 points in quick time through second row Powell, winger Barry John and Smith again, two converted by full back Luke Hartland so that a 29-7 interval lead was perhaps a little flattering for The Scarlets after The Quins’ contribution to a fast-action first half.

The Quins again opened the second half scoring with a penalty and now-mandatory conversion – but their hopes of a comeback were quelled by Pembroke’s pack power, which saw Sam Smith complete his hat-trick and replacement centre Billy Wood also cross, the second goaled by Hartland to round off the scoring with The Scarlets in the ascendancy.

Pembroke Dock Harlequins: Will Nicot: Aaron Cookson; Josh Norman; Thomas Doyle (Capt); Mark Woolles: Jake Griffiths; Bradley James: Jack Davies; George Bellmaine; Rob Hearn: Sam James; Aaron Boswell: Luke Wotton; Steffan Halward; Hywel Baker. Replacements: Alex Pearce; Danny Manning; Dai Rees; Joshua Boswell.

Pembroke: Luke Hartland: Barry John; Dom Colman; Toby Smith; Elliott Evans: Ryan Wilkins; Tom Lewis: Lloyd Davies; Seamus Wiseman; Johnny Palmer: Scott Powell (Capt); Alex Wilkes: Jordan Gwilliam; Jordan Evans; Sam Smith. Replacements: Max Hayward; Will Edwards; Billy Wood; Sean Dalling; Dan Colley.

Referee: Matthew Evans

PHOTO:
Tom Lewis in the thick of the action

 

Championship Division:

 

Otters miss out against skilful students

Cardiff Met 32 - Narberth 15

Narberth were unable to follow up their bright start to the new campaign as they went down to defeat at the hands of the students from Cardiff Met and as well as trailing 29-10 at half time they also suffered the worrying loss of influential skipper Alex Jenkins with a neck injury.

It says much for the battling qualities of the Otters that they kept plugging away and restricted the students to only three second points thereafter whilst scoring the only try of a tighter second half.

Unlike the previous week’s electric start Narberth found themselves 12 points behind after only eight minutes as Tom Benjamin and Ben Hope scored tries to go with a conversion by George Simpson.

A penalty by Ianto Griffiths reduced the deficit but Cardiff Met added a try by Rhys Teague, converted by Simpson before The Otters finally claimed a try from scrum half Rhys Lane which Griffiths goaled.

But Simpson slotted a penalty and added the extra points to a try from Eduardo Ballacco which Simpson converted and The Otters were second best as the students played fast, open rugby and it paid dividends.

Cardiff Met’s only second half points came from a penalty by Tom Morgan and The Otters responded with an unconverted try by replacement centre Kieran Griffiths but neither side was able to scale the heights after the home side also lost a play to serious injury.
 

Division Two (West):

 

Borderers continue smashing start

Whitland 31 - St Clears 10

Whitland continued their smashing start to this season with an excellent local derby win at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn in their local derby over promoted St Clears where they built an early lead and were never headed, despite The Saints’ considerable efforts.

But this is a well-balanced Borderers’ team and they established a 14-0 lead thanks to an early Nico Setaro penalty and two more on target after the opening try from Aaron Mayne as reward for the efforts of their pack in which skipper Marc Jones was outstanding and there were support roles for young players like Mayne and Michael Ryan.

The Saints replied with a penalty from full back Geraint Jones before Whitland’s Ryan Michael crossed the line and Setaro added the extras – but the visitors fought back with a Daf Page try which Jones goaled to make the interval score 24-3 in The Borderers’ favour.

Back rower Jack Mason and scrum half Adam Davies also caught the eye for Whitland and their defence was strong afterwards – and they scored the only try of the half as flying winger Sean Coles raced away for a try which Setaro converted to round off another big win for The Borderers.

 

Seagulls downed by Athletic

Fishguard & Goodwick 21 - Carmarthen Athletic 28

Fishguard were in contention from the outset in their home match with Carmarthen Athletic but in the final analysis their rustiness after missing their first match might just have contributed to the disappointment of home defeat.

The Seagulls missed half chances in the first half but still managed to lead 5-3 as full back Ed Bendall scored their try and the Athletic responded with a Tom Gravell penalty.

But both defences opened up more after the interval and Fishguard added a try by winger Matthew George alongside a conversion and three well-struck penalties from scrum half Alun George.

The visitors outscored them however, with tries by Callum Evans, No 8 Richard Broomfield and full back Robbie Thomas alongside two more Gravell penalties and two conversions.

The Seagulls had late claims for a try which might have earned them a draw turned down and so they had to settle for a losing bonus point after all their efforts.

PHOTO:
Dan McClelland grabbed a try brace for Milford Haven

 

Division Three (West) A:

 

Dan’s the man in Mariners’ victory

Neyland 8 - Milford Haven 15

Games between Neyland and Milford Haven are traditionally tough and this latest one at The Athletic Ground was no exception as the scoresheet was still blank at half time before home club Neyland established an eight-point lead - but talented young scrum half Dan McClelland inspired a Mariner’s comeback with two close-range tries.

Leading the way for the All Blacks were prop Eugene Grice, young centre Alex Codd and player/coach Steve Martin and it was Codd who opened their account and the experienced Martin sliced through for an unconverted try.

But with Dai Sweeny involved in all that The Mariners did in response and Chris Hall playing well after he came on as replacement second row the visitors had two tries from McClelland from tap and go penalties and the ultra-experienced Mark Wonnacott added a third.

All three went unconverted in a tricky cross wind but in the final analysis it mattered little because The Mariners had done enough to win – but Neyland deserved their bonus point for being within seven points at the finish of an absorbing clash!

 

Blues are off to a winning start

Aberaeron 7 - Haverfordwest 18

Haverfordwest got their season off to a winning start with victory in a hard-fought tussle against an Aberaeron side which battled hard throughout and had their chances but were hampered by determined Blues’ defence.

Showing the home side how to take their chances was Haverfordwest winger Ben Skudder, who crossed the whitewash for an excellent brace of tries to help his side to a 15-0 interval lead as centre Gareth John added a conversion and an early penalty.

Aberaeron battled back with a try from scrum half Gareth Jones which was converted by outside half Hefin Jenkins – but The Blues made sure of victory with a second John penalty.

Haverfordwest had second row Liam Brown and skipper Gareth Phillips to the fore and in the final quarter there was a special moment as young second row Carl Busch was joined at lock by his father Mark, to recall games of yesteryear for the hard-grafting forward! 

PHOTO:
Josh Hicks battles hard for Llangwm (Ceri Coleman-Phillips)

 

Saints celebrate first win in 20 months

St Davids 17 - Llangwm 12

There were big celebrations at St Davids RFC as The Saints registered a National League win for the first time since December 5th, 2015.

The home side prevailed 17-12 in a predictably tough clash with Llangwm that went down to the wire, and ironically, it was this exact score against the same side when they last tasted a league victory 21 months ago.

The Saints played against the elements in the first half but started strongly as a break from prop Will Davies set up a sustained period of pressure that The Wasps did well to withstand.

But the visitors soon came into game, and outside half Steve Inward missed a chance to put them ahead when he pushed a 35 metre penalty attempt wide in.

It took 30 minutes for the first score as The Saints broke the deadlock from a close range scrum, as No Aled 8 Harries slipped the scoring pass for impressive scrum half Zak Morgan to snipe under the posts.
Centre Dafydd Williams converted.

But the visitors soon levelled as centre Gavin Jenkins weaved his way under the posts from 22 metre s out – with full back Joseph Kiff adding the extras.

After the break The Saints got back in the ascendancy with another period of pressure, which culminated with Llangwm replacement Aled Morgan being sin binned for killing the ball. From the resultant penalty Williams kicked the simple points to put his side 10-7 up.

Then with 15 minutes left home centre Anton Matthews intercepted a pass in midfield, and sped 50 metres to the line.

Williams converted to make it 17-7, but then it was Llangwm second row Hicks who set up a grandstand finish, getting the try his strong running deserved by charging over from a quickly taken penalty.

But The Saints used the strong wind to pin the away side back in the dying minutes, before the final whistle signalled huge relief for The Saints, with the delight of head coach Matthew Williams evident after the game.

St Davids: Rhys Morgan, Luke Brooks, Anton Matthews, Dafydd Williams, Norman Price, Gabe York, Zak Morgan, Will Davies, Noel Lyons, Dan Murphy, Rhys Tudor Price (captain), Gethin Bateman, Carl Evans, Aled Harries.
Replacements: Eirian Harries, Ben Evans, Rhys Owen Price, Fraser Watson, Steve Regan.
Llangwm: Joseph Kiff, Daniel Morgan, Gavin Jenkins, Lewis Murphy, Jack Griffiths, Steve Inward, Luke Hayman, David Reynolds, Dai Owen, Gavin Jones, Jason Mock, Josh Hicks, James Lewis, Carwyn Morgan, Ian Griffiths.
Replacements: Spencer Rourke, Aled Morgan, Tom Meehan, Sam Harris, Dan Chesmer.
Referee: Alun Jones.

PHOTO:
St Davids set up an attack (Ceri Coleman-Phillips)

 

Cardis come out on top in Mid Wales

Tregaron 18 - Cardigan 33

18 points by talented centre Emyr Harries helped Cardigan win well at Tregaron and inflict a first defeat on Tregaron, whose points came two first-half tries by winger Hefin Ebenezer and centre Melfyn Davies, one converted by outside half Gwion Phillips.

Teifisiders’ outside half Llyr Jones opened their account with a try converted by Harries, who also converted his first try before experienced No 8 Colin Davies added their third try.

Phillips landed two penalties for Tregaron after the interval but second tries by Harries and Davies, both converted by the former, saw The Cardis celebrate a victory in which another pleasing factor was the performances of young players in hooker Luke Palmer-Davies alongside back rowers Daf Rotie and Geraint Williams.
 

Division One (West):

 

Crymych miss out in tight tussle

Crymych 3 - Aberystwyth 15

Crymych lost their second game of the new campaign with this disappointing result against an Aberystwyth side claiming their first win – but sadly no other details were forthcoming from this match!
 

Seasiders stifled by Kidwelly pack power

Kidwelly 28 - Tenby United 14

Tenby’s hopes of maintaining their bright start to the new campaign were brought to an abrupt halt at Kidwelly as the home side used their pack power to establish the platform for scoring three tries after leading 21-6 at half time.

Centres Liam Smith (2) and Callum Davies claimed their tries whilst full back Gareth Rees landed two conversions and three penalties. Sadly, no details were forthcoming from Tenby!