Whitland 1st XV 13 pts. Carmarthen Quins 29 Whitland can again hold their heads up high after a truly gritty performance in this National League Division One West clash, but one refereeing decision turned the match and the Quins bagged all three points and the double over their local rivals. Carmarthen took the lead after just five minutes when outside-half Mark Jones landed a penalty. Whitland levelled five minutes later when their own outside-half, Emyr Williams, dropped a goal, which had been set up by a driving maul from the forwards. Midway through the half, Carmarthen doubled their lead with another Jones penalty, and he added a third on the half-hour. But Whitland hit back, and on the stroke of half- time, Williams kicked for the corner, with a good chase by winger Johnny Morgan forcing Carmarthen's scrum-half Daniel Hawkins to take the ball into touch. From the resulting lineout, a good take by Raff Williams at the front saw the forwards rumble on and fly-half Williams eventually broke through the defence to touch down under the posts. He also added the conversion, to leave the half-time score 13-9 in favour of the home side. Jones slotted his fourth penalty early in the second half, which again was from in front of the posts, some 20-odd metres out, just like the three in the first half. Midway through the half came the turning point. After good work setting up the ball by the Whitland forwards, the backs, who looked sharp throughout the game, set a move in motion, with fullback Matthew John breaking the first line of defence and putting a deft kick in for Johnny Morgan to run on to. Carmarthen's fullback Anthony Rees failed to hang on to the ball, which he knocked onto Morgan's knee, and the Whitland man quickly gathered it and went in under the posts, only to be called back by referee Greg Morgan, who adjudged that he had knocked on. Even the Quins' players were amazed by this decision, and what's more, if the try had counted, Whitland would have taken an eight-point lead, and with the visitors not offering much behind, they would have found it very difficult to overhaul the home side. Some five minutes later, Whitland's captain and number eight Randall Williams was yellow-carded, harshly in the view of many, thus giving the Quins the upper hand up front. And they took advantage nine minutes later when they managed to cross the line. Whitland did well to hold them up, but referee Morgan again judged there to be an offence and awarded a penalty try, which Jones easily converted. With six minutes left on the clock, Morgan put the final nail in Whitland's coffin, with a well-taken drop goal, and with the final act of the game, the Borderers' defence was breached fairly for the first time, when winger Josh Freeman touched down for a try, with Jones converting to take his tally for the day to 19 points, and leave the final score 29-13 to the visitors. Whitland's whole squad battled hard and felt very hard done by, but they can all hold their heads high after the commitment they showed. Flanker Cameron Spiers was deservedly chosen as man-of-the-match by the match sponsors, who were Castle Scaffolding, Dai Daniels, Corrs Brewers, David Harris Motor Factors of Whitland, Davies Builders Merchants, Whitland, and Mr Ron Mounsey, of McDonalds, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock and Swansea. Team sponsors: E. and H. Factors, Garthgar, Penrhiwllan. Ball sponsors: K. P. Thomas and Son, Templeton, Mark Evans Haulage, Gareth Morse Zabulon, Simon Allen, L. H. Evans, Electrical Contractors, Haverfordwest, Kate Bowen, G. and J. M. Phillips, Electrical Contractors, of Whitland, and Nigel Hodgson, Peter Francis Antiques. Team fielded: Matthew John, Dion Thomas, Lee Glanville, Gary Evans (Wayne Morris), Johnny Morgan, Emyr Williams, Gareth Davies, Alun Davies (Gareth Williams), Mark Jones (Aled Harris), Richard Smith, Carwyn Davies (Aled Evans), Raff Williams, Cameron Spiers, Phil Morgan (Ryan Michael), Randall Williams, capt. Tomorrow (Saturday), Whitland travel to face Bridgend Athletic 1st XV. Whitland 2nd XV 6 pts. Mumbles 2nd XV 11
With the Mumbles first team fixture postponed due to the weather, they bolstered their 2nd XV with some seven first team players, and in the end proved too strong for the Whitland youngsters, who went down by 11 points to six in their Polypipe Civils League match. The only try of the match came from Mumbles number eight Dai Painton in the first half, with outside-half Mark Jones kicking a penalty. Whitland's fullback Ross Michael replied with a penalty of his own in the first half, to leave the half-time score eight points to three to the visitors. Jones and Michael traded further penalties in the second half to leave the full-time score 11 points to six to Mumbles. This weekend sees Whitland 2nd XV home again when Llangennech will be the visitors. Crymych Youth 3 pts. Whitland Youth 36
Once again the young guns of Whitland kept their 100 per cent league record intact with a comfortable victory away to Crymych. Crymych took an early lead with a penalty by fullback Stefan Davies, before Whitland centre James Stephenson levelled with a penalty midway through the first half. Whitland's dominance started to show and five minutes before half-time they took the lead when flanker Danny Evans touched down for the opening try, which Stephenson converted, to leave the interval score 10 points to three. The second half saw Whitland take full control, running in a further four tries, one by centre Stephenson, a second by Danny Evans, another by centre and captain Alex Pickersgill, while replacement winger Scott Newton, who was making his debut, added the final touchdown. Stephenson converted three of them, to leave the full-time score 36 points to three to the young Borderers. Tomorrow (Saturday), Whitland Youth will be playing at home in a local derby clash, when arch rivals Narberth Youth will be the visitors.