Division 3 west
Cardigan 20 Tregaron 5 –
Cardigan enjoyed a well deserved win over their county rivals Tregaron and their performance will have given their coaches plenty to enthuse about especially after such a difficult few months of the season.
Coach Tudor Harries and his assistants have been forced to blood a crop of very young players in at the deep end and they are now starting to find their feet and the improvements shown the week before away at high fliers Pembroke Dock were in evidence again.
This second victory of the campaign was achieved through hard graft and some resilient defending with a fifteen minute period before half time proving to be the major turning point. The visitors pummelled the home try line with a succession of forward drives and they did everything except score a second try but the Cardi’s kept them out and they went in at the break 13-5 ahead when it could so easily have been the Ceredigion all blacks leading the match.
In attack Cardigan looked dangerous especially when teenage stand off Rhun Phillips had the ball in his hands as he is quick and very elusive and he formed an excellent partnership with young scrum half Danny Bradshaw.
The hosts opened the scoring with an early penalty from full back Llyr Jones who had a fine game and he added another well taken kick soon afterwards before Tregaron were awarded a penalty in front of the posts but this was wasted with the ball sailing wide.
Cardigan pulled further ahead when outstanding young stand off Phillips scored a wonderful try which originated from a midfield loop on the halfway with Phillips taking the outside pass and slipping several tackles before touching down under the posts for Jones to convert. Tregaron missed another penalty sitter but they slowly started to build after a poor start and they were eventually rewarded when prop Dorian Pugh barged his way over from close range.
The blacks then spent the rest of the half camped in the Town twenty two metre area but some superb tackling from the likes of second row Sion Phillips, skipper Tom Taylor, props Andrew Fletcher, Will Brice and flanker Osian Rees kept the visitors out and it was 13-5 at the break.
Cardigan started positively after the interval and Taylor should have scored when the ball was dislodged as he dived over for a try but they made amends soon after this when impressive scrum half Danny Bradshaw made a fine break and slipped the ball inside to supporting flanker Rees who crashed over under the posts. Jones chipped over the penalty and Cardigan were almost home and dry at 20-5.
There were several opportunities spurned by the home side after this as they enjoyed a large share of the possession with Tregaron fly half Huw Bonner not seeing enough of the ball. He and his team also made a number of attacks, albeit from deep, but some sloppy handling ensured this counted for nothing and Tregaron will be looking to improve greatly this week before they take on title challengers Haverfordwest.
For Cardigan this was a step in the right direction with coach Harries looking to get the ball out to the wide channels and his side played some attractive rugby at times. There will be far trickier assignments along the road as Tregaron didn’t turn up for the opening quarter but some of the work behind the scenes at the Gwbert Road club is now coming through and they will get better.
Next up is another local derby and a trip to north road Lampeter to take on a side that have made a decent start to the season with four wins from seven starts and is the weather improves it promises to be an entertaining affair.
