WHITLAND 9 pts.

TATA STEEL 18

Whitland slipped to their second defeat of the season in Division One West of the Swalec League on Saturday when they went down at home to Tata Steel.

It was a disappointing day for the Borderers, as the Steelmen used the conditions and controlled the game much better than the home side as they won by 18 points to nine.

But perhaps even worse than the defeat was the blow they suffered when they also lost their inspirational captain Raff Williams with a broken arm and he will now miss a large part of the season.

In the first half, Whitland had the better of the opening quarter, but failed to turn pressure into points, with outside-half Jonathan Thomas failing with an early penalty chance.

Midway through the half, centre Paul Bamsey intercepted a long pass and put winger Tylan Mafi in for Tata's first try, which went unconverted.

Whitland responded with two penalties by Jonathan Thomas to lead at the break by six points to five, but after playing with the strong wind would have felt this was not enough. Flanker Tomi Jones was also given a yellow card just before the break.

Early in the second half, with Whitland still down to 14 men, Tata scored their second try through fullback Simon Evans, which was converted by outside-half Diggy Bird.

After six minutes, Tata's own Tylan Mafi was also shown a yellow card and from the resultant penalty Jonathan Thomas cut the visitors' lead to 12 points to nine, but failed with another chance some five minutes later.

Tata then just used the wind and the slope to pin the Borderers back in their own half for the remainder of the game and two further penalties from Diggy Bird gave them victory by 18 points to nine.

Match referee was Mr. Alan Jenkins, of Penlan, Swansea.

Man-of-the-match: Andrew Hawkins.

Main match sponsor - Whitland Junior Borderers.

Team sponsor - Castell Howell Foods.

Ball sponsors - Malcom Thomas, Plumber, Llanboidy Blended Feeds Ltd, Simon Allen, Allen & Partners,Veterinary Surgeons, Whitland, Ron Mounsey, McDonalds, and K. P. Thomas & Son, Fuel Distributors, Templeton.

CARMARTHEN QUINS SECONDS 15 pts.

WHITLAND SECONDS 14

Whitland Seconds lost out by a single point after a very close encounter with local rivals Carmarthen Quins Seconds, going down by 15 points to 14 in their latest Carmarthen Tyre Service league match.

At the break, the Quins led by eight points to seven, with a try by prop Ricky Davies and a penalty by outside-half Dan Barcley, while for Whitland there was a try by winger Steve Aston, who also added the conversion.

In the second half, Whitland prop Lee Williams scored a try and again Steve Aston converted, but the Quins won after another try by Ricky Davies, with the all-important conversion by Dan Barcley.