Rugby Round up
Division 1 & 2 West
Penclawdd 17 Aberystwyth 13
Two late penalties from Penclawdd fly half Tom Guarneri sealed a well deserved win for the cocklemen against Aberystwyth.
The Ceredigion outfit will be disappointed with this narrow defeat by their close rivals from the Gower and also Penclawdd’s superiority in most phases of play especially in the set piece.
The Plascrug men were first to score when outside half Steffan Rees kicked a penalty from 40 metres after the home side were caught offside at a ruck but Tom Howell hit back with a penalty kick from 30 metres to draw level.
With ten minutes to go of the opening half Penclawdd were penalised on their ten metre line and Aber found an excellent touch within five metres of the home line. A catch and drive by the forwards saw prop Billy Thomas go over for a try which full back Rees converted to put Aber 10-3 ahead but the hosts came back strongly and on the stroke of half-time, Howell kicked a second penalty to make it 10-6 to the visitors at the interval.
Within five minutes of the restart Aberystwyth increased their lead when full-back Rees kicked another penalty for offside and as the game warmed up and tempers flared Aber’s Carwyn Evans and Penclawdd’s Matthew Stonham were red-carded.
The Cocklemen grabbed their first try of the game on the hour when their forwards drove over from a scrum five and at 11 – 13 the home side were within striking distance and pressed even harder and they went ahead for the first time in the match when new kicker Tom Guarneri slotted over a penalty from 30 metres to take the score to 14 – 13.
Guarneri added a further penalty to put his team ahead by four points at 17 – 13 to set up a very tense final ten minutes with Aberystwyth pinning their opponents close to their line as they launched a number of drives. The ferocity of this pressure brought a desperate response from the home side and their stand off Devonald was yellow carded for a ‘no-arms’ tackle and prop Whitnell was red carded soon afterwards for throwing a punch.
However despite a number of drives that took them within the edge of the whitewash the visitors were unable to cross for that vital score and they were edged out by 17 – 13.
Division 2 West
Llanybydder 11 Hendy 31
Llanybydder returned to action after a six week lay-off and despite a concerted effort their lack of match fitness was a decisive factor in the end with Hendy well deserved winners.
The hosts shaded the first half with their powerful scrum once again very dominant, allowing No 8 Ricky Davies to carry effectively, and flankers Stuart Phillips and Chris Powell to compete at the breakdown. The home side took the lead with a penalty by full-back Steff Davies which was soon followed by a try from wing Ross Holder who chased up a chip through for a well worked try to increase the lead to 8 – 0.
The visitors struck back with two penalties and after the break they took control with their superior match fitness strikingly evident and they ran in for three tries with the best of these being a superb individual effort by their outstanding full-back Ifan Beynon-Thomas who entered the line at pace and then evaded three home defenders to run in from 50 metres.
The talented full back also added another try late on and there was a try also for Dyfan Williams, whilst four penalties and two conversions were shared between Gareth Thomas, Scott Tudor and Steffan Howells, as the visitors secured a deserved win.
Llanybydder have another free Saturday this weekend, before they travel to Tycroes for their next league encounter.
Fishguard & Goodwick 20 Tenby 18
Fishguard and Goodwick flanker Chris Shousha was the hero of the hour for his team as his late try helped seal a dramatic win over division high fliers Tenby United to ease their relegation worries.
It was the Seasiders who as expected started very brightly and went ahead with a try when winger Greg Lees-Griffiths pounced on a loose ball and was first to his own kick ahead to touchdown. Centre Toby Smith fired over a penalty to increase the visitors lead before scrum half Will Crockford dived over the line and Smith added the extra points. Much travelled playmaker Nico Setaro on permit from Whitland slotted over two penalties and the Seagulls kept up the pressure after the break and prop Ryan McVeigh barged his way over the line for a well deserved try and Setaro landed the conversion.
Tenby though came back strongly again and went further ahead when Smith chipped over another three pointer to put his side ahead by five points and this set up a tense final ten minutes and it was Shousha who snatched a late try when he was driven over the line by his forwards colleagues to level matters and Setaro sealed the verdict with a conversion.
Fishguard pics by Andrew Butler.
