CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY.
Newcastle Emlyn 13 Narberth 23:
Newcastle Emlyn got off to the perfect start in this championship encounter when debutant centre Rhys Schiavone crossed for an early try but the red and whites were never able to make this count for much.
Narberth to their credit were fully deserving of this victory over a home side who failed to repeat the performance of the week previous at the Recreational Ground and were not at their best.
The Otters in stark contrast came with a game plan and stuck to it throughout with a thoroughly professional performance with their outside half Jonathan Rogers in particular controlling matters superbly from the outset and his cultured left boot drove Emlyn back into their half on numerous occasions.
The home team started brightly enough running the ball well and testing the Narberth defence. Second row Rhys Davies collected a bouncing ball and put centre Tomi Jones away only for the centre to be caught from behind some ten metres out. A powerful burst by outstanding Emlyn flanker Joel James set up a ruck some five metres from the Narberth line. Quick re-cycling saw outside half Nico Setaro cross the line under the posts only for referee Mathew J. Thomas to rule that an Emlyn player has obstructed a Narberth defender.
It was all Emlyn at this stage and the Otters were forced to defend desperately. A break inside the Narberth half by Shaun Leonard took play deep into the visitors twenty two, Leonard’s potentially try scoring pass was knocked backwards by a defender only for the ball to bounce over the line for debutant centre Rhys Schiavone to touch down for the opening score.
Unfortunately for the large crowd that more or less was it for the home side as far as adventurous attacking rugby went. Rogers started pinning Emlyn back in their own half and their big, well organised pack started to control the game with effective driving mauls.
Wing Nick Gale opened their account with a well taken penalty and a few minutes later Emlyn prop Gethin Davies was sin-binned for a high tackle on the lively Narberth scrum half Rhys Lane. Fortunately for Emlyn Gale was wide of the mark with the kick at goal.
Narberth did make the extra man count a few minutes later when they pressurised Emlyn into conceding a line out ten metres out. The red and whites managed to halt the first drive but from the resultant penalty Narberth went for touch again, won the line out and drove hard for the line for veteran hooker Dan Smith to be awarded the try, converted by Gale.
The red and whites came storming back at Narberth and another excellent burst by Joel James saw him through but he was brought down short of the line.
On the half hour the visitors put together an excellent passage of play with forwards and backs handling and supporting really well and eventually they scored an excellent try through winger Liam Hutchings.
With half time approaching the home side eventually got into the Narberth twenty two and were awarded a penalty in front of the post which Nico Setaro unfortunately missed to leave the home side trailing by ten points at the break.
Territorially the home side dominated the second half but found it extremely difficult to score whilst the visitors, with their pack beginning to dominate in the loose, gave outside half Rogers plenty of time to drop back into the pocket and pin Emlyn deep into their own half with well -judged kicks to the corners.
The Emlyn line out though functioned well with Ryan Morgans and Kendall wining some quality ball thanks to some excellent throwing in by hooker Tom Curry.
Narberth had flanker Joe Powell binned on the hour mark for killing the ball and Setaro made amends for his earlier miss by converting the penalty to bring Emlyn within seven points. Despite being down a man the visitors continued to exert pressure on the hosts by driving them backwards.
Acting captain Emrys Davies then burst away from a ruck inside the Emlyn half and showing a fine turn of speed embarked on a fifty metre run but was unable to pick out flying winger Llyr Jones and was brought down by the Narberth defenders.
A feature of this match was Emlyn’s inability to use their pacy wingers in Jones and John Lumb and neither of them received a decent pass for long periods of the game.
Narberth increased their lead to ten points when the reds were penalised for not releasing the ball and Rogers slotted over the penalty kick.
With some thirteen minutes left Lumb finally had the opportunity to run with the ball when he fielded a Narberth kick just outside his own twenty two and he then embarked on a mazy run and looked certain to score but he was brought down just short of the line. However flanker James was in support to flick the ball up to centre Tomi Jones who managed to force his way over in the corner for an unconverted try.
Back came Narberth and the introduction of fresh legs in the front row put the Emlyn scrum under pressure as time was running out and Rogers moved play up to the Emlyn twenty two before livewire scrum half Rhys Lane spotted an opening and sprinted fifteen metres to score an unconverted try to take the bonus point away from the home side.
The game concluded in predictable fashion with an Emlyn player making a break only for the supporting player to drop the ball. And that really summed up a frustrating afternoon for the hosts with the Pembrokeshire side well deserved winners.
