OAKDALE 18 pts
TENBY UNITED 7
The dreaded drop must surely be looming large for Tenby United now after they came out second best in this vital six-pointer with fellow basement battlers Oakdale on Saturday.
With just two wins under their belts this season, the Seasiders needed victory to narrow the gap on the homesters at the foot of National League division two, but, as conditions deteriorated after the break, so did the United's chances and they eventually went down by 18 points to seven.
Oakdale, looking for the double over the United after convincingly beating them 31-5 at Heywood Lane earlier in the season, got off the blocks quickly, with a Steve Lewis try converted by stand-off Rob Anderson putting them seven points in front after just six minutes.
Tenby levelled matters when locks Steve Withers and Justin Jones got the pack moving and back row man Max Howells barged over near the posts.
Mark Williams, playing at fullback, slotted over the conversion.
Tenby suffered a blow when flanker Adrian Chiffi was forced to leave the field with an ankle injury, but replacement Stuart Tyrie worked hard alongside Howells and Andy Deacon, but the Seasiders failed to capitalise on a number of half chances in the second quarter.
It was not the same story for Oakdale, however, as they regained the lead through an Anderson penalty, and flanker Paul Davies extended the advantage at the interval with an unconverted try.
With the weather and pitch deteriorating after the break, both sides found themselves playing against the conditions every bit as much as each other, with Oakdale grabbing the only score of the half, an Anderson penalty, to seal victory.
With no league action this weekend due to the Scotland v Wales international, Brynmawr visit Heywood Lane next Saturday (February 24) in a game the Seasiders must win to keep their slender hopes of division two survival alive.
Tenby United fielded: Mark Williams, Gavin Jones, Neil Truman, Andrew John, Josh Freeman, Gethin Watts, Mark Thomas, Endaf Howells, Gareth Bevan, Nicky Carpenter, Steve Withers, Justin Jones, Max Howells, Adrian Chiffi, Andy Deacon.