UWIC 17 pts.

Narberth 25

The Otters shrugged off recent dips in form to produce their best form of the season to overcome a strong UWIC side at Cyncoed with some exciting rugby, despite playing at one stage of the second half with two key players in the sin-bin.

Supporters have been very much like French supporters this season in not knowing which team will turn up, but in the Cardiff suburbs the players dug deep and played just like the Narberth team at its best with an above par display.

Consequently, there was a much more buoyant atmosphere on both the team and supporters' buses on the return journey down the M4 when everyone saluted a great team effort where the spirit within the squad clinched the result.

Conditions were a little wet underfoot and the ball somewhat greasy after the recent rain, but on a sunny and windless afternoon, both teams provided their supporters and coaches with some vintage rugby.

Head coach Sean Gale was delighted both with the performance and the result. He said: "It was an excellent win, one of the best in recent years, where all of the boys did us proud, even when we were down to 13 players, when our pack continued to push the students off the ball.

"It had been a dramatic week off the field prior to the match, with the talented Davies brothers, Rhys and Aled, both deciding to seek new pastures.

"All of the team who turned out against UWIC deserved the pats on the back and the applause from the Narberth supporters after the match."

The two teams play a similar brand of open and attacking rugby, but as the game developed, the Narberth players lifted their heads during the match, errors were eliminated and it was a testimony to the leadership of centre Steve Martin and the team spirit and determination of all the players for the visitors to pick up the spoils.

Narberth skipper Steve Martin outstripped the defence after nine minutes following a series of rucks, when he carved a path to the left corner for an unconverted try.

UWIC bounced back with a try from centre Louis Messer after a break by outside-half Rhys Roberts, who converted the try.

However, Narberth regained the lead with an excellent try, finished by Tom Bonnell, following another brilliant break by Steve Martin.

The Otters' pack was very strong in the set-pieces, led by the front row trio of Sean Lloyd, Dan Smith and Tom Slater in the scrums.

A try from fullback Dan Bibby, converted by Rhys Roberts, restored the UWIC lead, which was reduced just before the interval with a penalty by Otters' outside-half Nick Jones.

In the second half, Tom Bonnell picked up his second try, again following a great run by Steve Martin. The ball was moved from left to right and Martin broke clear to set up the try for Bonnell, one of the best finishers in the division, to go over in the corner for an unconverted try

No sooner had UWIC lost flanker Craig Howells to the sin-bin, than Narberth lock Chris James also picked up a yellow card, after which Rhys Roberts narrowed the lead to one point with a penalty.

The Narberth numbers were reduced again when flanker Gareth Bateman joined James in the sin-bin and Narberth were down to 13 players.

It was at this stage where the visitors showed their resilience and their ability to grasp any opening created or on offer.

After a huge effort by the Narberth pack in a scrum, scrum–half Andrew Davies got his backs going along the line. Stave Martin went over the gain line and slipped the ball to Jonathan Morgan, who showed the covering defence a clean pair of heels and used his head to run round and touchdown under the posts,

The try was converted by Nick Jones and, although the students came back strongly, the visitors denied them the bulk of possession with some magnificent spirit and playing ability to come out on top.

In an excellent team performance, emergency outside-half Nick Jones, scrum-half Andrew Davies, locks Chris James and Alex Jenkins and developing prop Tom Slater each deserve a special mention.

Narberth fielded: Jonathan Morgan, Tom Bonnell, Steve Martin (capt.), Richard Davies, Adam Phillips, Nick Jones, Andrew Davies, Sean Lloyd, Dan Smith, Tom Slater, Chris James, Alex Jenkins, Gareth Bateman, Wayne Williams and Colin Davies.

Replacements: Timoci Kaumaitotoya, Lewis Davies, Rob Weston and Aled Jones.