WRU Championship
Newcastle Emlyn 37 Skewen 18
A dominant performance by the home pack coupled with some clinical finishing saw Newcastle Emlyn through for a much needed and well deserved win.
The new look back row of Brynmor Jones, Joel James and Luke Kendall, along with second rows Dylan Davies and Dyfed Morgan were particularly prominent and allowed the red and whites to dominate the contact area and gain the upper hand in the line out.
In the previous meeting between the two sides the Skewen scrum had given Emlyn a torrid time but this time around the Emlyn front row of props Dai Jones and Dai Bryant, along with hooker Alex Williams, held their own against much heavier opponents in gluepot conditions.
The hosts went ahead on twenty minutes when full back Llyr Davies ghosted through and this was converted by winger Iestyn Crompton who ended up with a personal tally of twenty two points.
Emlyn extended their lead shortly after when Skewen were penalised for collapsing a driving maul from a line out and Crompton converted the penalty. Skewen roused themselves and managed to work their way downfield and outside half Anthony Busselli opened the scoring for the visitors with a penalty kick.
Led by Brynmor Jones, closely followed by his two other back row colleagues, Emlyn took the game to the visitors with some powerful runs by the forwards, driving Skewen back.
Crompton extended the home lead with another penalty before speedy scrum half Mike Jones crossed for Emlyn’s second try, converted by Crompton. In the final minute Busselli kicked another penalty for the visitors to complete the half
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with the Ceredigion side putting together series after series of attacks and Skewen defending admirably. For the first twenty minutes the visitors could not get out of their half, but Emlyn were unable to score another try. Crompton increased the home side’s lead on the hour mark with a well struck penalty kick from some forty metres.
Emlyn then emptied their bench and went further ahead when fly half Evans took a pass just outside his own twenty-two and showing a fine turn of speed, it looked as if he would go all the way to score himself. When he was eventually brought down some ten metres short of the line, replacement hooker Carwyn Rees crossed by the posts for a try converted by Crompton.
Emlyn added their fourth try with just ten minutes to go when winger Crompton was the first to pounce on a loose ball near the try line which he then converted
Showing commendable spirit the visitors attacked Emlyn from the restart and they managed to score an unconverted try from a driving maul courtesy of flanker Richard Davies. Then with the last play of the match Luke Myall crossed for a try by the posts which Busselli converted to bring to an end to the match and a much needed victory for the home side. (photos taken by Gethin Vobe)
