Any hopes Tenby United had of retaining National League division three (west) status were effectively ended at Heywood Lane on Saturday as the Seasiders lost to fellow basement battlers Felinfoel by 15 points to five.

Eleven points adrift of the Llanelli-based visitors at the start of the day, the United needed the result from this six-pointer to grab themselves a slender lifeline in the division, but fortune was against them again as a series of missed passes and unforced errors gifted Foel the spoils.

It was a gritty performance from the Seasiders, particularly as they had to play with 14 men for nearly 60 minutes after experienced back row man Mike Evans was red-carded in the 25th minute.

The former United skipper was given his marching orders for allegedly punching in a ruck, which was a body blow for Tenby up front, particularly as they were already struggling in the scrums against the much larger Foel pack.

However, the Seasiders refused to roll over in this Texaco sponsored game and more than compensated in the loose, with skipper Nicky Allen again leading by example.

Chris Brace, playing at lock instead of his more familiar back row slot, worked like a Trojan, denying the visitors around the fringes, while Justin Richards played some of his best rugby of the season to negate the threat of Foel around the contact zone.

Oliver Brace, at scrum-half, also did well at point of contact to prevent Foel opposite Matthew Thomas from linking with his threes, while stand-off Rob Davies and centres Dean Bowen and Carl Broaders defended the midfield tirelessly.

Back in red and black after a prolonged absence, Paul Luger not only provided effective cover wide out and competed for every 50/50 ball, but launched several effective counter-attacks, while Sion Brace was very much a danger man, joining the line at pace from the fullback berth to put pressure on the visitors' defences at every opportunity.

Lee Tucker, Mark Badham and Simon Morgan grafted 110 per cent in the loose, as did Richard Rossiter when he replaced Badham in the 30th minute, while Paul Broaders was athletic in the linesout, winning plenty of useful possession.

However, the United failed to utilise the possession effectively, seeking to try and break the gain line on the peel or punch holes up the middle instead of capitalising on their pace behind - although some slipshod handling in the threequarter line did not aid matters either when the Seasiders did seek to spread the ball wide.

Felinfoel used lock Matthew Williams and flanker Richard Jones extensively in the opening stages in trying to make an impact in midfield, but Tenby tackled well and closed off the visitors' chances for second phase.

Foel fullback Christian Thomas opened the visitors' account in the 10th minute with a penalty, after firing an earlier three-pointer wide of the mark.

Tenby countered when Bowen, Broaders and Luger combined to move play deep into Foel territory, but Davies was off target with a rather optimistic drop goal attempt from second phase.

Thomas failed with another penalty - resulting from Evans being sent for an early bath - as both sides continued to battle hard for the upper hand.

Tenby brought Rossiter on for Badham going into the closing stages of the half, which brought more stability to the under-pressure United scrums.

Although Foel continued to put pressure on the homesters, the United defended with grim determination, leaving the visitors just three points ahead at the change around.

Tenby were unlucky to fall further behind just after the break when Foel capitalised on their numerical superiority to send wing James Bennett over for a breakaway try which Thomas converted.

The homesters refused to let their heads drop and countered at every opportunity, Luger, Allen and Tucker taking the ball through several phases to set up camp in the Foel 22.

Tucker came close as the United peeled from an attacking lineout, but saw his touchdown disallowed for a knock-on, while Foel were equally unlucky when centre Jeff Adams broke through the Tenby midfield, only to see his linking pass to Paul Picton being judged forward by referee, Mr. Peter Soraka.

The visitors replaced stand-off Stuart Wall with Tony Richards midway through the second half, and brought Daniel Evans on for prop Kevin Allen, while Tenby also rung the changes by bringing Badham back on for Morgan late on.

As the game developed into a midfield war of attrition, Tenby reduced the arrears after another unsuccessful Thomas penalty when Rossiter switched play on his 22.

Fullback Brace took possession on the burst and shimmied his way trough the Foel defence before linking with Bowen.

Bowen maintained the momentum, before off-loading back to Brace who crossed wide out for a try.

Davies was off target with the conversion to leave the Seasiders trailing by five points going into the last quarter.

Foel upped the onslaught in the closing stages, although Bowen kicked well from hand to relieve the pressure following good work up front from the Tenby pack.

Brace almost bagged his second when he followed up a chip from Davies, but the ball dribbled over the deadball line before the fullback could reach it, and then Foel ended the game as a contest late on when number eight Stuart Roberts broke from the base.

The visitors maintained the momentum at the breakdown, Richards feeding Adams, who sold a textbook dummy to co-centre Lee Sprace to split the Tenby defence, before sending Picton over in the corner for an unconverted try.

If results could be secured purely on determination and endeavour, then Tenby would have grabbed the glory for their tireless industry.

However, it was not to be, leaving the United with an unlikely future in the third division.

It is still mathematically possible for the Seasiders to avoid the drop if they win all their games - and it is not beyond the realms of impossibility - but it also means that nearest rivals Felinfoel have to lose all their remaining games!

So tomorrow's (Saturday's) clash with Glynneath at Heywood Lane will be vital for the Seasiders.

Tenby United fielded: Sion Brace, Jamie Candler, Dean Bowen, Carl Broaders, Paul Luger, Rob Davies, Oliver Brace, Mark Badham, Lee Tucker, Simon Morgan, Paul Broaders, Chris Brace, Mike Evans, Nicky Allen (capt.), Justin Richards.