Third time lucky for strengthened Seasiders

Friday, 27 November 2009

Tenby United 29 pts., Pembroke 13 pts

Revenge was sweet for Coastal Cottages sponsored Tenby United as they saw off league rivals Pembroke at the third time of asking in their Pembrokeshire Cup clash on Friday night.
Following defeats in both the league and WRU Bowl, the Seasiders were determined to turn the tables on their near neighbours and they did just that with a four-try victory.
But the win was far from easy and it was not until fairly late on that a strengthened United outfit finally saw off the spirited visitors to Heywood Lane. In fact, the Scarlets’ eight caused the home pack trouble throughout the match, something that will not have been lost on the United coaching team.
The home side started well and were given an early chance to take the lead when the visitors were adjudged to have entered the ruck from the side. Stand-off Tom Lewis scuffed the penalty attempt, though, and it went wide.
The home side gained the early momentum and Lewis created another scoring opportunity after a neat break, which set fullback Dan Colley free. He found young centre Toby Smith in support and he seemed to have crossed for the opening try. Referee Adrian Lewis from Penygroes was well placed, however, and penalised Smith for a double movement.
Smith’s elder brother Sam, making a welcome return to the number eight birth, showed great strength in the tight exchanges and linked well with Lewis to set up another Seasiders’ attack. Skipper Gavin Brace linked well with Toby Smith, but the youngster was denied once again.
The United had much the better of the opening exchanges, the outstanding scrum-half Matt Sheppard at the heart of everything and setting up the opening try of the game.
Retreating and picking up a loose ball on halfway, he cleverly chipped over the visiting defence and gathered skilfully, before showing a great turn of speed to outpace the Scarlets defence for a brilliant individual try. Lewis added the extras to give the Seasiders a 7-0 advantage.
The visitors hit back immediately and gained their first real foothaold in Tenby territory, but after some patient phase play, a forward pass saw them cough up possession. From the ensuing scrum, the United were penalised for holding on at the ruck after the home pack was put under enormous pressure. Stand-off Phil Williams gratefully accepted the three points with a simple kick.
From the restart, the bustling Sheppard collected and made good ground and, although Scarlets prop Richard Mason ripped the ball free, it fell for United lock Wyndham Williams, who linked well with Nicky Guymer to set free dynamic open-side Timoci Kanmahotoya, who brushed off four tacklers for another excellent score. Lewis’s conversion attempt struck the upright, leaving the score at 12-3.
The home team seemed determined to build on their strong start, Dai Meyrick showing good pace and strength with a burst down the left, but the Seasiders were penalised after skipper Brace was adjudged to have gone off his feet at the ruck.
The pressure soon told, however, and after a neat chip from Lewis gathered by centre Smith, three Scarlets threequarters were penalised for offside in midfield. Lewis made no mistake from just outside the 22, pushing the Seasiders 15-3 in front.
As an exciting first half drew to a close, the visitors sensibly relied more on their pack, who clearly had the upper hand in the tight exchanges, showing great technique with a succession of powerful and well co-ordinated drives. Eventually the United yielded a penalty, but Williams pushed the kick left.
The United were finding it hard to get out of their own half and the Scarlets saw an opportunity to grind their opponents down. After being awarded another kickable penalty, the visitors opted to kick for the corner. From the lineout that followed, the United were penalised once again and from a quick tap penalty, the visitors burrowed over for a deserved score that went unconverted.
The United were given an immediate chance to increase their lead after Pembroke were penalised for hands at the ruck, but Lewis scuffed the kick. In a virtual tit for tat, Pembroke were awarded another shot at goal on the stroke of half-time, but once again Williams was wide of the sticks, leaving the score 15-8 at the interval and the match very much in the melting pot.
As can often be the case, the second half was something of a disappointment, play from both sides turning scrappy. The number of penalties awarded by Mr. Lewis seemed to increase, but neither side was able to capitalise on any opportunities in the opening minutes of the half.
Eventually, stand-off Lewis used his siege-gun boot to good effect, using a penalty to drill the Scarlets back deep into their 22. After winning the lineout and driving close to the visitors’ line, the Seasiders were awarded a scrum five. The pressure was now very much on the Pembroke eight, to such an extent that they conceded a penalty for offside.
The United opted to re-set the scrum and after a couple of tight drives, scrum-half Sheppard delivered a superb pass to put stand-off Lewis over under the sticks. The simple conversion put the United 22-8 clear.
As so often happens, the United were nearly caught napping from the restart as Pembroke surged through, but the chance was lost when centre Mark Williams knocked forward.
Tenby changed a number of their personnel now as they looked to get fresh legs on the field, with Luke Dedman, Fifitapuku Falatau, Rhys Thomas, Barry Bowen and Rob James all coming on within a few minutes.
Pembroke refused to lie down and after earning a penalty on the United 22, spurned the shot at goal and earned a lineout five metres from the line. After another concerted drive, flanker Luke Hansford burst through a melee of players for an unconverted score.
The United were now having to dig deep to keep a battling Pembroke outfit at bay, but their resilience was rewarded with a penalty that they were grateful to see Tom Lewis hammer deep into the Pembroke 22.
Superb open-side Kanmahotoya stole the lineout that followed and fed replacement back rower Rob James, who showed great pace to outflank the visiting defenders for a try that Lewis converted with the final kick of the game.
In the end, a 29-13 win was a reasonably fair reflection of the game, but the Seasiders will be looking to work on their tight play and notably their scummaging for the games to come, in particular the next game which is on December 5, away to league leaders Milford.
The match sponsor was Ritec Valley Quad Bikes and the ball sponsor was the Bush Inn, Tenby.
Tenby fielded: Dan Colley, Dai Meyrick, Toby Smith, Gavin Brace, Jimmy Davies, Tom Lewis, Matt Sheppard, Scott Payne, Mike Lewis, Lee Tucker, Kustino Otterbach, Wyndham Williams, Nicky Guymer, Timoci Kanmahotoya, Sam Smith. Replacements - Barry Bowen, Fifitapuku Falatau, Luke Dedman, Rhys Thomas, Rob James.