MERTHYR 41 pts. WHITLAND 42
Everyone who watched this Asda League Division One match at the Wern on Saturday definitely had their money's worth, as they hardly had time to take breath in an 83-point thriller. With Merthyr playing down the significant slope, they took charge of the first half, outscoring visiting Whitland by 33 points to six. But what a comeback in the second half. The young Borderers' never-say-die attitude, superior fitness and dogged determination turned the match round with a spectacular performance as they took the second period by 36 points to eight to win the match in thrilling fashion by 42 points to 41. Merthyr opened the scoring as early as the second minute, when Cardiff Blues-bound centre Thomas James cut through the Borderers' defence to score their first try, with outside-half Neil Burnett successfully adding the conversion. Whitland hit back two minutes later with an Aled Davies penalty. From the restart, however, the visitors were penalised and some quick thinking by Merthyr scrum-half Ryan Harris saw him take a tap and make a decisive break, before giving the try scoring pass to winger Matthew Peiey. Again Burnett added the conversion. Again Davies kept Whitland in the early exchanges with a well-taken penalty after 13 minutes, but then Merthyr hit the Borderers with three tries in the last 20 minutes of the half. There was a second for centre Thomas James, and one apiece for number eight Jason Price and captain and fullback Robert Downes, and with Burnett adding two of the conversions, it left the interval score at a healthy 33 points to six in favour of the home side. But what an astonishing change after the break. Whitland soon scored the first of their six second half tries, with winger Dion Thomas going over in the corner and Aled Davies adding the two points. Ten minutes into the half, coach Dominic Setaro made a tactical substitution, bringing on hooker Aled Harris, who had missed Whitland's away game at Llanharan due to injury. He replaced Jason Evans, who had worked tirelessly in the first half, and what an inspired switch it turned out to be, with Aled going on to score three of the Borderers' tries. The first came after 15 minutes when a quickly taken tap penalty saw scrum-half Andrew Jenkins make the decisive break to send Harris in under the posts, with Aled Davies adding the two points. Six minutes later, after Merthyr's flanker Ross Coombs had been yellow-carded for pulling back a player, Whitland scored their third try from the resulting penalty. They initially kicked for the corner and when possession was secured from the lineout, second row forward Ricky Davies was driven over. The try went unconverted, but it cut the deficit to eight points. Some six minutes later, Whitland's skipper Phil Morgan was yellow-carded for a similar offence to Coombs, and again from the penalty and resulting lineout, Merthyr scored their sixth try of the day, when their pack drove over and flanker Gareth Davies grabbed the touchdown. On the half-hour, with play just inside Whitland's half, Andrew Jenkins broke blind from the base of a ruck and fed winger Jack Tremlett in support. He in turn passed to Aled Harris, who took off down the touchline like a charging rhino, showing strength and pace as he bulldozed his way through three would-be tacklers to touch down in the corner for his second and Whitland's fourth try. Again Davies was unlucky with the conversion attempt. With just three minutes of normal time remaining, Whitland were awarded another penalty, and again the decision was taken to kick for the corner, with Davies obliging. From the resulting lineout, catch and drive, the forwards powered over, with Aled Harris coming up with the ball to claim his third try of the match. Again Davies failed with the conversion, but amazingly the deficit was now down to just three points. With time running out, Merthyr drove up the middle of the park and were awarded a penalty on the stroke of fulltime. With Burnett successful with the subsequent kick at goal, the home fans thought they had hung on for victory. But Whitland obviously had other ideas. Their never-say-die attitude saw them gather the ball from the restart and drive towards the line. Merthyr were penalised for pulling down the maul and after skipper Morgan checked with the referee the time remaining, he asked Aled Davies to kick for the corner. Merthyr's pack probably thought that Whitland would again use the driving maul from the lineout, but the Borderers outfoxed them with their quick- thinking and quick ball from the lineout saw possession moved out along the backs, where replacement centre Barry John handed-off his opposite number and outpaced the covering defence to score his side's sixth try of the half under the posts. Aled Davies stepped up and duly slotted the extra two points to send the travelling supporters delirious with joy. There was time for the restart, which Whitland gathered safely, and when Andrew Jenkins smashed the ball into touch, the referee, David Williams, of Caldicott, who had had a very fair and consistent game, blew the final whistle on an extraordinary game of rugby. Performances from all members of the squad were outstanding - even in the first half when Whitland were under the cosh - so it would be unfair to single out anyone in particular, just to say, well done on a superb squad performance, which cements Whitland's second position in the division. Tomorrow (Saturday), Whitland 1st XV are without a league match due to Builth Wells' continued presence in the Konica Minolta Welsh Cup. Team fielded: Lee Glanville, Dion Thomas, Gary Evans, Eifion Roberts (Barry John), Jack Tremlett, Aled Davies, Andrew Jenkins, Gareth Williams (Alun Davies), Jason Evans (Aled Harris), Richard Smith, Ricky Davies, Raff Williams, Ryan Michael, Phil Morgan, cap.t, Celt Thomas. Subs not used: Graham Hart and Mark Jones.
Whitland Wanderers
The Wanderers were without a game in the Poly Piper League, and with Narberth Athletic's game being cancelled, they travelled to play a friendly at Parc Dr Owen. Whitland's young side overcame an experienced Narberth side by 14 points to nil. Winger Ross Michael scored all of Whitland's points, with a penalty in the first half and two further penalties and a try in the second half. Tomorrow (Saturday), the Wanderers have a difficult away game when they travel to face Penlan, with a 2.30 pm kick-off.