WRU Championship
Bedlinog 13 Newcastle Emlyn 18
Six penalties from the trusty right peg of full back Shaun Leonard helped steer Newcastle Emlyn to their first away win of the season.
Leonard bagged six out of six to cap both a fine individual and team performance and one which has lifted the red and whites off the bottom of the table.
From the Bedlinog kick off it was plain to see what the Emlyn tactics were, as the ball was immediately returned downfield with interest by the siege gun boot of Leonard. There was high intensity and pressure from the Emlyn team from the first kick off, and after only two minutes the hosts were penalised for holding on in their own twenty two and Leonard slotted over the penalty.
He then doubled the score when stand in centre Llyr Davies turned the ball over and Bedlinog were once again penalised and Leonard made no mistake for his second.
The home team responded and gradually worked their way back into the game with their impressive no 8 picking up at the base of the scrum and creating space for his fellow back rowers. The red and whites defence on the whole was outstanding with a great shift put in by back row Calum Evans and locks Osian Davies and Bleddyn Davies. However a try eventually followed when from a missed tackle the ball was spread wide and winger sped over for an unconverted try.
A second home try followed just before the interval to put the hosts ahead by 10-6 but Leonard responded on the hour when he sent over a long range effort to reduce the advantage to a single point. Bedlinog added their first penalty of the match to extend their lead to four points.
Emlyn though hit back almost immediately when inspirational skipper Alex Williams powered through the home defence, and when the ball was recycled the home backs were caught offside resulting in another penalty which was converted by Leonard.
The visiting coaches began to utilise their bench and on came the fresh legs of Dexter Thomas, Luke Hanford and David Jones but there was nothing in the game going into stoppage time with the score at 13-12
However, the red and whites pack pushed their opponents off the ball in a scrum, and a home flanker was penalised for leaving the scrum early and Leonard showed no signs of nerves and calmly converted the ensuing penalty from 40 metres.
From the restart Alex Williams safely caught the kick before setting the ball ready for another successful exit kick from defence which was run back by the hosts but the ever alert Jon Hill was in the right place at a tackle to seal the ball and win another penalty. Leonard then duly made it six out of six to seal a very narrow but extremely welcome win on the road.
