Carmarthen Ath. 29 pts. Whitland 30

This was a rearranged league match and, after an exciting game of end-to-end rugby, Whitland came out on top by 30 points to 29, the Borderers' forwards proving to be the difference.

After six minutes, Whitland's outside-half, Aled Davies, was unsuccessful with a penalty.

Seven minutes later, Carmarthen got on the scoresheet when their outside-half, Julian Howells, kicked his first penalty.

After a couple of missed opportunities due to a bad pass and a dropped ball, Whitland scored their first try through talented young centre Lee Glanville. A solid platform was set up by the pack and after good handling by the backs Glanville crossed the line, with Davies adding the conversion.

Howells added another penalty for Carmarthen in the 30th minute, to leave the half-time score seven points to six in Whitland's favour, although the visiting supporters were left pondering on what might have been had the Green and Whites taken all their chances.

With such a slim advantage, there was also the fear that any infringement would be punished by the impressive kicking of Julian Howells.

Whitland started brightly in the second half with good work by the whole team, only for them to be called back with the last ball going forward.

Carmarthen were awarded a scrum some 15 metres from their line. Whitland's hooker, Jason Evans took the ball against the head and quick-thinking by Aled Davies saw him run round to the blindside to create the overlap, where quick hands resulted in winger Jack Tremlett going over in the corner for his side's second try. Davies added the two points.

The next 20 minutes saw a ping-pong type battle between the two kickers, with Howells slotting over penalties in the eighth and 10th minutes and Davies replying in the 15th and 17th minutes. Howells also added another after 20 minutes.

After 26 minutes, Borderers' outside-half Davies hoisted a high up-and-under deep into Carmarthen's 22. Fullback Kelvin Rees collected and set off on a meandering run, going through some loose tackling, before coming back towards the touchline, where good hands by the Athletic created an overlap for centre Aled Thomas to cut back inside and score under the posts. Howells added the conversion, for Carmarthen to take the lead at 22 points to 20.

Davies failed with a penalty attempt in the 31st minute, but with some six minutes remaining, Whitland regained the lead when winger Andrew Richards scored their third try. Davies was unlucky with his conversion attempt, which hit the post.

Not to be outdone, Carmarthen hit back and with some three minutes of normal time to go, flanker Nick Morris crashed over for what the Athletic thought would be the winning score, with Julian Howells adding the extras to take his haul for the night to 19 points and a 100 per cent kicking success.

Two minutes into injury time, however, Carmarthen were penalised for hands in a ruck on the halfway line. Whitland's alert scrum-half Andrew Jenkins took a quick tap penalty, and going blind down the touchline, kicked over the top, before being unfairly taken out.

Referee Alan Jenkins noted this and with Whitland gaining no advantage, they were awarded a penalty on the 22-metre line. After consultation with the referee, skipper and man-of-the-match, Phil Morgan, asked Davies to kick for the corner -which he did with pinpoint accuracy, giving Whitland a line out five metres out.

A superb leap saw second row Molitika take clean possession from Jason Evans' throw-in to set up the maul, with the ball being slipped to skipper Morgan who was driven over in the corner to touch down for the match-winning try. Again Davies was unlucky and hit the post with the conversion.

Whitland's all-round team performance deserved this fine away victory, by outscoring the home side four tries to two, but with a kicker of Howells' ability, Carmarthen will always take sides to the death.

Due to the international weekend, Whitland have no games tomorrow (Saturday), but next week they return to league fixtures on Wednesday, March 31, when they travel to play Llangennech, with a 7.15 pm kick-off. A supporters' bus will run from the club at 6 pm - names to Iona at Gog Sports by Monday.

On Saturday, April 3, Whitland again head east with an away match at Beddau. Again a supporters' bus will leave the club at 12.30 pm - names to Iona at Gog Sports by 12 noon on Thursday, April 1.

WANDERERS MARCH ON

Whitland Wanderers travelled last Monday evening to play Tenby Seconds in the quarter-finals of the Pembrokeshire Junior Union Cup.

This game they won by 20 points to three, scoring two tries to nil - one right at the start of the first half and the other at the end of the match - and were never out of control.

Winger Emyr Davies got Whitland off to a cracking start after quick ball by the pack and quick hands along the line, saw him cut back in from his wing to slice through the Seasiders' defence and go in under the posts. Fullback Eifion Roberts added the extra two points.

Tenby's full back Llewellyn Rose failed with a penalty attempt after eight minutes, before Roberts increased Whitland's lead with a penalty after 18 minutes.

Again Rose failed to get Tenby on the scoresheet with a penalty after 38 minutes, leaving the half-time score 10 points to nil to Whitland.

After four minutes of the second half, Rose was at last successful with a penalty.

Whitland then had to withstand a period of sustained pressure, but their defence held firm and Tenby failed to cross the line.

Whitland added a further penalty in the 33rd minute, before Roberts rounded off the match with a try for himself, when after chasing through a hack on by the forwards, he won the race to the touchdown, and also landed the conversion for good measure.

YOUTH SUCCESS

Whitland Youth entertained Tenby last Saturday in the quarter-final of the Pembrokeshire Youth Cup and ran out comfortable winners by 40 points to nil, running in eight unconverted tries - it was not a day for the kickers!

First half tries came from Ross Harris, Adam Davies and Dafydd Gibbon.

Whitland again dominated the second half, running in further tries from Ali Bowen, Shane Morgan, Ross Harris, Aled Davies and Wayne James.