Although they fought back well in the second half, Whitland made a faltering start to their division one campaign at Church Bank on Saturday as they went down to Llandovery by 24 points to 15.

Only one game into the season, the alarm bells will not be ringing yet for the Borderers as they can well recall the early part of last season, when success was equally hard to come by.

Tipped for relegation, the Green and Whites turned their fortunes around in the second half of the season, and going on their second half perfomance at Church Bank, they will be no slouches this season, as they clawed their way back from a 21-3 interval deficit to within a hair's breadth of snatching the spoils.

The Drovers made all the early running and had opened up a 14 points to nil lead on the half-hour through tries from Tracy Lewis and Tal Selley, both of which were converted by fullback Stuart Harries.

As the game wore on, Whitland started to gain a foothold, with the endeavour of Steve Gerrard, Romeo Collela and Fakatah Molatika putting the Drovers under pressure in their own half.

During one such attack, a Llandovery infringement allowed Borderers stand-off Daniel Griffiths to slot over a penalty and reduce the arrears.

However, the Drovers were consistently sniping away as the Green and White defence was found wanting and on the stroke of half-time Lewis nipped through for his second touchdown.

Harries again converted to give the homesters an 18-point advantage.

With a half-time talking-to ringing in their ears and a pack bolstered by the introduction of Derek Thomas and Anthony Jakeman, Whitland looked much more the part after the change around and reduced the deficit within two minutes when scrum-half Craig Thomas winged his way through for a try which Griffiths converted.

Although they reaped the lion's share of possession, the Borderers were unable to convert pressure into points in the face of the Drovers' well organised defence.

Llandovery increased their lead somewhat against the run of play when Harries slotted over a penalty, before Whitland wing Gavin Morris bagged a try from 30 metres out towards the end.

Griffiths converted to narrow the gap, but it proved too late for the Borderers who ran out of time in the catch-up stakes.

Whitland face another test tomorrow (Saturday) when they travel to take on Pontypool.