WHITLAND 25 pts.

YSTRAD RHONDDA 13

Whitland welcomed Division One East side Ystrad Rhondda in the Swalec Welsh Cup on Saturday and with the visitors not offering too much, the Borderers won comfortably by 25 points to 13.

Centre Lee Glanville opened the scoring after seven minutes when outside-half Carwyn Jones brought him back in on the angle and he split the defence with a powerful run to the line to touch down. Jones added the conversion.

Five minutes later, replacement winger Will Davies - on for Christiaan Roets, who, playing his first game after injury, picked up a bang on his knee -was put in at the corner after good work by hooker Marc Jones and Lee Glanville, who combined well to provide Davies with the touchdown. This time, Jones failed with the conversion attempt.

Ystrad's number 10, Dylan Jones, kicked a penalty after 15 minutes and Carwyn Jones replied for Whitland with his first penalty after 30 minutes.

The Ystrad outside-half added his second after 37 minutes to double his side's score and that was how it remained at the half-time break, with Whitland holding a 15-6 advantage.

The Borderers again held the upper hand in the second half, with Carwyn Jones adding a second penalty and then scoring a fine solo try to put the game out of sight of the visitors, who did score a consolation try right on full-time through second row Anthony Shellard, which Jones converted to give a final score of 23 points to 13.

Performances of note up front came from Marc Jones, Carwyn Davies, John Bowen and skipper Randall Williams, while behind, the half-backs of Gareth Davies and Carwy Jones combined well and centres Aled Jones and Lee Glanville not only tackled well, but both looked sharp in attack.

Match referee: Mr. Colin Kirkhouse, of Birchgrove

Man-of-the-match: Carwyn Jones.

Whitland fielded: Dan Mason, Gareth Morris, Aled Jones, Lee Glanville (Gary Evans), Christiaan Roets (Will Davies), Carwyn Jones, Gareth Davies, Gareth Lloyd (Gareth Williams), Marc Jones (Alan Proctor), Richard Smith (Rhun Morgan), Tom Dinan (Gareth Downes), Carwyn Davies, John Bowen, Ryan Michael (Jack Mason), Randall Williams (capt).

Main match sponsors: Whitland Cricket Club.

Team sponsors: Ron Mounsey, McDonalds, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Swansea; Classic Kitchens Ltd, Whitland.

Ball sponsors: UWIC West Ladies; Phil Bowen Tyres; Paul Morgan builder; Brian Cook OBE.

Llangennech Youth 0 Whitland Youth 23 pts.

Having not played for a few weeks, this turned out to be a hard, but much-needed game before the Christmas fixtures, away to Haverfordwest, who like Whitland are unbeaten, and a week later, Mumbles in the Webb Ellis Welsh Cup.

After dusting off the cobwebs in a pointless first half, Whitland eventually took control.

First centre James Stephenson slotted two penalties and then the young Borderers ran in three tries through flanker Owain John, number eight and captain Micky Jones and winger Duncan Evans, with Stephenson converting one to leave the full-time score 23 points to nil.