Despite losing the plot in the second half, the Otters did enough to have the edge over Loughor after scoring five tries in the first half, each of which was converted by winger Nick Jones. The Blues were making their first visit to the Lewis Lloyd ground and played with tenacity and purpose throughout the match. They had their reward for their endeavours in the second half by running in five tries themselves, with outside-half Ben Davies also being on target by kicking each of the conversions. The Otters took the lead after five minutes when Nick Jones kicked a penalty from inside the Loughor 22, but Ben Davies levelled the scores with a penalty after 12 minutes. After 20 minutes, Nick Jones tried to kick a penalty from 40 metres, but was off target, despite having the length. Within minutes, the Otters had regained the lead when flanker Jack Mason made a terrific break and scrum-half Andrew Davies was in support to cross for a try under the posts. Mason was then yellow-carded when play switched to the other end of the field, but the only score when he was off the field was the subsequent penalty by Ben Davies. After missing out on one long range effort, Nick Jones made amends with a 40-metre penalty after 31 minutes, which heralded a burst of scoring. Two minutes later, winger Andrew Jones increased the lead with a try which was started by Narberth skipper and fullback Sion Brace with a counter- attacking run deep inside the Narberth half. After setting off on his run, Brace played a one-two with Andrew Jones as the fleet-footed pair raced up the left flank, before Jones cut inside to score under the posts. Two minutes later, centre Neil Davies was the beneficiary after outside-half Matthew Davies opened up a gap and Neil Davies finished off the move. Outside-half Matthew Davies also had a hand in the next try with his running and handling skills. Davies then released centre Steve Martin, who needed no second bidding to cross for the fourth try in the space of less than 10 minutes. More pressure by the Otters resulted in the Blues conceding a penalty try converted by Nick Jones to give the Otters a splendid lead of 35 points at the interval. After just one minute of play in the second half, the lead was even bigger. Narberth attacked from the restart and a well-judged kick ahead by outside- half Matthew Davies was swooped on by centre Steve Martin, taken on by scrum-half Andrew Davies and lively flanker Jack Mason was in support to race away for a try under the posts, again converted by Nick Jones. As so often happens when a side takes a big lead, the Otters sat on their laurels to some extent, even though they were reduced to 14 players as prop Nathan Williams had been yellow-carded just before the interval. Some substitutions were made which also disrupted patterns of play. The Blues were not slow in spotting their chance to get back into the game and hooker Michael White finished off a move from second phase possession to cross for their first try converted by Ben Davies. Soon restored to 15 men, the Otters found their lead reduced when winger Andrew Banfield took advantage of some defensive misjudgements to cross for his first try converted by Ben Davies. Although the Otters scored again with quite a superb run by centre Steve Martin which left defenders in his wake and was converted by Nick Jones, the Otters conceded three further tries. Second row Timothy Butler went over for a try from a lineout, converted by Ben Davies, then substitute flanker Ryan Hopkins found a way through the Narberth defence to score a try and in injury time Andrew Banfield received the ball on an overlap and he crossed for his second try. All of the tries were converted by Ben Davies, so at the end a lead of 42 points just after the start of the second half had been reduced to 14 points. Commenting after the match Narberth's director of rugby, Jonathon Dodd, said: "We were pleased with the win and Loughor entered into the spirit of things to play some good rugby. "Our defence in the second half was very disappointing after we had scored some cracking tries in the first half. "Following some substitutions after the interval we lost our shape a bit, our attacking play was stifled and our defence sloppy. "On the positive side, it was good to see winger Andrew Jones coming back into form and centre Steve Martin did well again. "Loughor scored 41 points and we know that we will be in for a tough game in the return fixture at their ground next week. "Our regular number eight Lewis Wood will return to action and he will make a difference. It is important for us to keep going and we would like to win the final two matches if possible to finish third in the league table." For the second week in succession, highly promising flanker Jack Mason was nominated as man-of-the-match by Dorian Phillips and Partners, of Llanboidy, the Folly Farm Balcony Suite match sponsors. The Otters' Holt match sponsors were Ken Morgan Architects, of Narberth. The members' bar sponsors were Antur Insurance Services, of Carmarthen, and the match ball sponsors were The Taxi Boys, Bysiau Cwm Taf and Dorian Phillips Building Supplies, of Llanboidy. Tomorrow (Saturday) Narberth will again play Loughor away in a rearranged Division One West league fixture. Narberth fielded: Sion Brace, capt., Nick Jones (Fifitipuku Faletau), Steve Martin, Neil Davies (Mike Georgiou), Andrew Jones, Matthew Davies, Andrew Davies, Nathan Williams, Dan Smith, Justin Hughes, Jason Jennings, Emori Katalau (David Ebsworth), Matthew Davies (Anthony Griffiths), Jack Mason and Jamie Bohata.
