Cwmllynfell 3 pts. Narberth 22

Narberth did not let Cwllynfell get into this game and a superb team display resulted in the Otters being the first visitors to win a league match at Parc y Bryn this season. It was not the best of days to play rugby halfway up the mountain, but the Parc y Bryn pitch stood up well, despite the driving wind and rain. Playing up the slope, the Otters took the game to Cwm from the outset and rarely allowed the home team inside the Narberth half. A long range penalty attempt after five minutes by Steve Williams was unsuccessful for the Otters, who nevertheless continued to attack. The breakthrough came from second phase possession and a combined move involving the pack and backs, which ended when centre Steve Martin kicked the ball over the covering defence and ran through to catch it before it bounced to race over for an unconverted try. Fullback Sion Brace and wingers Matthew Davies and Nick Jones each played key roles in keeping the move flowing, before Martin's dexterity resulted in a try. After 24 minutes, the visitors increased the lead with another unconverted try, this time by flanker Matthew Davies. The move started from a scrum. Number eight Lewis Wood picked the ball up, ran at the opposition, released winger Nick Jones, who slipped the ball to Matthew Davies, who then forced his way over the line. Three minutes later, Cwm reduced the deficit with a short range penalty by outside-half Peter Thomas for what turned out to be Cwmllynfell's only score of the match. If there was any doubt as to which team had the edge, it was removed by prop Nathan Williams, who finished off a loose play move to cross for a try converted by Nick Jones. In the fourth minute of first half injury time, Cwm had a chance to claw back three points, but a penalty attempt by Peter Thomas from 35 metres was off target. In the second half, the Otters continued to dominate proceedings and terrific defensive work prevented Cwm from creating any scoring opportunities. In increasingly difficult conditions, ball handling became more of a lottery and there were a couple of occasions where Narberth might have increased the lead in dryer conditions. After 15 minutes of the second half, the visitors did get onto the score sheet again. Winger Matthew Davies has a right to roam and had crossed over from left to right. A left-footed diagonal kick was followed up by centre Neil Davies and, although Cwm re-grouped, somehow Lewis Wood found a way through under a pile of bodies to cross for an unconverted try, which brought the scoring to an end for the day. It was one of those days when there were no individual match winners, but a good all-round performance by each of the players on the field put the Otters on top from start to finish. Commenting after the match, forwards coach Sean Gale said: "It was an absolutely tremendous performance. The whole team fronted up and performed. Our defence was superb, the contact area was extremely good and we had great set- pieces in both lineouts and scrums. In addition, our backs played a perfect territorial game. "We expected a very hard game today as Cwmllynfell have a very good record at home. It was a great achievement by our boys and something we should be really proud of. From here, we just have to move upwards and onwards, but that is something that we are really capable of doing. "The play by the pack was excellent, with terrific work by the front row. Lock Emori Katalau appears to be getting younger and number eight Lewis Wood played a huge gain line game. As a unit, the forwards are starting to come together and as coaches we were very proud of them today. "Half-backs Andrew Davies and Steve Williams marshalled proceedings and everything fell into place. "Cwmllynfell are a very good side. For Narberth to come up here and beat them 22-3 was a huge achievement and we have now taken over from Cwmllynfell as the second placed team in the league table. "A lot of the success has been due to the work that the squad has put in during recent training sessions and the boys believing in what they can do on the field." Naturally the Narberth supporters were ecstatic after such a display and Pembrokeshire photographer, Patrick Jones, who recorded some moments of the match on his camera, said: "What a cracking performance by the Otters. On a cold, wet, bleak, dark, windy day at Cwmllynfell, this was the game of the season - so far. A very difficult day for playing rugby (and for taking photographs!). "The Otters ran in a couple of tries in the first 30 minutes and afterwards kept Cwm in a total stranglehold and outplayed them for the rest of the game. Cwmllynfell never looked like crossing the Narberth line. There was only one team in it and at the end; Cwm were completely demoralised. Solid in defence and imaginative in attack, the Otters' handling and kicking of the ball, that must have felt like a bar of soap, was exceptional. "Excellent moves, fine handling, superb tactics and total commitment from every member of the team gave the Otters a deserved win." Flanker Jamie Bohata was one of the players who had an immense game and he was the team management's choice as man-of-the-match. Tomorrow (Saturday), Narberth face another tricky away fixture against Bridgend Athletic. In the first home league game of the season, the Otters lost to Bridgend Athletic and will be anxious to redress the balance tomorrow. Narberth fielded: Sion Brace (capt.), Nick Jones, Steve Martin, Neil Davies, Matthew Davies, Steve Williams, Andrew Davies, Nathan Williams, Dan Smith (Jack Mason), Justin Hughes, Chris James (David Ebsworth), Emori Katalau, Jamie Bohata, Matthew Davies (Lloyd Phillips) and Lewis Wood.