Division 1 west round up
Crymych 23 Gorseinon 3
Crymych moved up the table and away from the danger zone after they secured their third win of the campaign at the expense of visitors Gorseinon.
Coach Randall Williams will have targeted this game as a must win and this was just what his team deserved following a solid all round performance with the pack impressive as a unit.
Conditions were difficult at Parc Lloyd Thomas after the heavy rains and the Preselimen kept it tight early on with young half backs Ifan Phillips and Dafydd Phillips playing sensibly and they took the lead when the former slotted over a penalty. The same player swapped another penalty with visiting kicker Andrew Steel and there was little in it at the break.
Crymych enjoyed the lions share of possession with the likes of back rowers Sion Collela, Guto Davies and number eight Osian Davies carrying well and making inroads into opposition territory and this continued in the second half with centre Carwyn Phillips, prop Steffan Harries and second row Rhys Davies in particular punching holes in the Gorseinon defence.
This pressure was eventually turned into points when full back Nick Bevan scampered over for a try which was converted by centre Phillips and he added a second conversion when replacement Mathew Freebury barged his way over for a try to wrap up the game.
Phillips also added a penalty to seal the win and complete a fine all round showing from the Pembrokeshire team.
Gowerton 14 Aberystwyth 12
A late penalty from Gowerton outside half Paul Spowart denied Aberystwyth a victory in this hard fought clash at the Athletic Ground.
The Ceredigion men who are struggling near the foot of the table came very close to lowering the colours of a team currently in second place and were leading by 12-11 with just a few minutes to go. However Spowart was handed a late chance to win the game with a penalty from close range and he duly obliged to win the match.
It was Aberystwyth who were the first to score on ten minutes when outside half Steff Rees kicked a fine penalty from 45 metres but the home side then drew level with a penalty slotted over by Spowart. The visitors regained the lead with a second penalty kick by Rees before the hosts fought back to press hard on the Aber line with wave after wave of attacks and they eventually crossed when flanker Mathew Cherry broke through and fed his fellow back-row forward and No 8 Jordan Sherman, who ran on to score and make it 8-6 in favour of the hosts at the break.
The visitors though regained the lead when Rees banged over another fine kick after the hosts had been penalised for offside but Gowerton stepped up a gear and threw everything at their opponents and they were awarded a penalty which was converted by stand off Spowart to put the hosts ahead again at 11-9.
A penalty from Rees gave the Ceredigion team a slender lead and a chance to pick up a much needed win but they were denied at the death when Spowart made no mistake with a late penalty kick to win the match by a couple of points.
Pics by Julie John and Mike Binks.
