WRU Championship
Newcastle Emlyn 31 Cardiff Met 10
Newcastle Emlyn secured their second win on the bounce when they accounted for the Cardiff students and they will be hoping to keep this run going when they tackle local rivals Narberth this weekend.
The red and whites are still firmly rooted neat the foot of the table but there is little to choose between a clutch of teams above them and there is a long way to go.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring when outside half Russell Bennet stepped forward and kicked them into the lead with seven minutes on the clock but Emlyn hit back just before the interval when from a free kick quickly taken by scrum half Dafydd Evans the forwards carried through several phases before the ball was picked up by centre Steff Evans who crossed under the posts. This was converted by full back Sean Leonard before referee Richard Brace from Maesteg blew up for half time with Emlyn leading 7-3.
The hosts started very positively after the oranges and increased their lead when from a line out the ball was driven forward to the visitors’ 22 metre line and carried through several phases before flanker Calum Evans crossed for a try, converted by Leonard to take Emlyn 14-3 ahead.
With the momentum in their favour the red and whites pushed hard for another score and this duly arrived on the hour mark when following a series of powerful forward drives second row Bleddyn Davies crossed to make it 19-3.
The Met hit back with an interception try after Mike Jones who had replaced Dafydd Evans at scrum half moved the ball wide but the ever alert Bennet made a timely interception and he ran the length of the field to score the students’ first try and under the posts. He kicked the conversion and after 25 minutes of the second half the visitors were back in the game at 19-10.
Cardiff Met attacked again after the restart, but the Emlyn forwards were now on top and turned the ball over. This time it was moved across the field through with winger Llŷr Jones finishing the move by crossing in the corner for the Emlyn bonus point try, taking the score to 24-10.
Emlyn completed the try scoring when second row Osian Davies crossed for his team’s fifth of the match and the conversion from Leonard’s took the score to 31-10 and a comfortable win for the home team.
