RUGBY WEST-Round up of the weekend action.
Crymych, Aberystwyth, Fishguard, Tregaron, Lampeter and Aberaeron
Division 1 West
Penclawdd 39 Crymych 3
What a difference a week makes. Just seven days after lifting the scalp of runaway league leaders Kidwelly, Crymych suffered their biggest defeat of the season when they went down heavily at Penclawdd.
Neil Machin and his men were outstanding at Parc Lloyd Thomas against a side who look a shoe in for promotion but they were a shadow of themselves on this occasion, although supporters of the Preselimen will point to the fact that there were several key players missing from the team.
The corresponding fixture was a very tight affair with only two points separating the sides but the only score for Crymych at Penclawdd was a penalty from the boot of scrum half Rhys Davies as the home side dominated proceedings from the off and Crymych with a depleted side could not cope and conceded seven tries.
The visitors were 17-3 down at half time as the Cocklemen ran in tries by Lee Gunnell, Tom Devonald and Matt Donahoe and further tries after the break from Phil Tucker, Johnny Davies and Tom Howells which eventually killed the Pembrokeshire side off.
This weekend Crymych will be looking to do the double over Gorseinon but the chances of a home win against the Swansea outfit will depend on players returning from injury.
Llanelli Wanderers 21 Aberystwyth 10
Aberystwyth also travelled with a depleted team for their trip to second placed Llanelli Wanderers and they were behind after only a quarter of an hour when the hosts went 6-0 ahead thanks to a penalty from stand off Lloyd Thomas and a drop goal from winger Arwyn Morgan. The Ceredigion side were forced to defend vigorously as the Wanderers launched a series of attacks but the visitors’ resolute defending prevented the home team from going further ahead.
The visitors gradually worked their way back into the game and enjoyed an even share of territory but they were reduced to fourteen men just before the break when prop Kevin Jones was shown a yellow card for pulling down a maul near their line and the home side made full use of this numerical advantage to increase pressure on the visitors’ defence and they crossed for two tries in quick succession. The first came from a catch and drive at a five metre lineout and was claimed by Dan Griffiths and was soon followed by a good break from outside centre George who fed Dafydd Daniel to score. Both conversions failed but Wanderers were comfortably ahead at 16-0 and well in control as the half-time whistle was blown.
Aberystwyth hit back with a penalty from Steffan Rees to put his team on the scoresheet at 16-3 and there was further joy soon afterwards when scrum half Gruff Jones intercepted the ball from a long way out and raced home to touchdown under the posts. Rees converted to bring the scores to 16-10 and with a chance of a losing bonus point.
The visitors though tired late on and Wanderers made the most of some excellent phase work when wing forward Elgan Morgan finished off an attack with a try in the corner. The conversion was missed and the game ended at 21-10 to the Wanderers.
Excellent action shots from Mike Binks of Aberystwyth RFC
Division 2 West
Fishguard & Goodwick 15 Carmarthen Athletic 24
Fishguard were edged out in this basement battle against relegation threatened Carmarthen Athletic and the seagulls will be looking to bounce back when they play another crucial game this weekend against Pontyberem, a team just below them in division two.
Fishguard who have shown some decent form in recent months started well and were 10-7 ahead at the break thanks to a penalty from Kial Keane and a penalty try which was converted by Keane. The Athletic responded with a try by scrum half Carwyn Thomas which fly half Maynard converted and just after half time Maynard levelled matters with a penalty and he added a conversion to a try by Tom Gravelle to put the visitors into a healthy winning position.
Fishguard hit back and carried well through the likes of number eight and man of the match Simon James and they were rewarded with a try from prop Owain Rowlands. However, it was the visitors who enjoyed the final word of the game when stand off Maynard sneaked through for a try which he also converted to seal a 24-15 win and one that could prove to be very important in a few months time.
West 3A
Tregaron 20 Pembroke 36
Tregaron slumped to one of their biggest defeats for some time when they were undone by a Pembroke side who played most of the game with a man short after heavyweight forward Dom Colman had been given his marching orders.
Despite the absence of Colman, the Ceredigion men still had no answer to the power of the Scarlets pack which saw number eight Sam Smith cross for four tries.
Pembroke made an impressive start and were 14-0 ahead after only nine minutes as hooker Max Hayward crossed for a try and this was followed up with a try for Sam Smith both of which were converted by Hartland. Smith added two more to his name after the break but with the visitors down to thirteen men Tregaron used their advantage to get themselves back into the game with a couple of tries from Dilwyn Harries and Dorian Rees and Geraint Jones also went over for unconverted tries as Tregaron hit back. before Smith sealed the win with his fourth try of the game.
West 3B
Penybanc 22 Lampeter 15
Lampeter managed to come away with a bonus point but there was little else to cheer about as they slipped to their second defeat on the trot to a team below them in Division 3 West B.
It was the Tigers that started the strongest with centre Tom Gale opening the scoring after outpacing his opposite number and with the Banc scrum looking strong it didn’t take long before the second score arrived when after a couple of powerful scrums, impressive scrum half Mathew James, playing on permit from Pantyfynnon was able to use his pace to squeeze over.
Lampeter bounced back with a try from a rolling maul and with the hosts a man down the Ceredigion team sneaked in for a second try.
Banc winger Will Griffiths touched down to restore the home lead mid-way through the second half and he and his team took control and they were duly rewarded when Wayne Williams went over for the bonus point try. Fly half Mathew Lloyd added the extras.
West 3C
Llandybie 19 Aberaeron 16
Despite a very good start Aberaeron were narrowly beaten by Llandybie with ill discipline costing them dearly with a succession of yellow cards.
The seasiders started on fire and were ahead early when outside half Rhodri Jenkins slotted over a penalty and this was followed by a try from flanker Aaron Lewis, who was prominent throughout, resulting from a rolling maul.
The reaction from Llandybie was instant with No 8 Rhydian Jones crossing and Aled Tomasson adding the conversion and the visitors added to this with a penalty minutes from the break, but Aberaeron then suffered the loss of two players to the yellow card just before the break.
The numerical supremacy was to prove crucial as Tomasson added another penalty only for Jenkins to hit back with his second but the hosts added another soon afterwards again through Tomasson. Aberaeron came back strongly in the last quarter with Gethin Hughes and Alistair Severs carrying well and were denied twice by the referee who was unable to confirm the groundings in what looked good shouts for tries .
They were finally rewarded late on following a lineout through prominent replacement flanker Dafydd Davies who powered his way over.
