With the previous week's match against Trimsaran called off at short notice, Tenby United were keen to get their league programme back on track against a high-flying Kidwelly outfit that topped division three west with only one defeat in 14 outings.
If the improvement shown in the last league game against lowly Hendy was to be maintained, then this was the level of opposition Tenby needed to really put it to the test.
Kicking-off in near ideal conditions, Tenby were put to the test in the resulting scrum for a knock-on infringement when the powerful Kidwelly eight totally destroyed the home pack as they shunted them back at a great rate of knots.
Inspired by old boy Craig Thomas, the visitors tested the Tenby defence to the full with some neat passages of play all emanating from their powerful set-piece play, but the home side held firm.
It soon became evident that despite struggling in the tight, the Tenby forwards had the edge in the lineout, with the very impressive Chris James and spring-heeled Nicky Allen not only securing the Tenby throw-in, but also stealing and disrupting the visitors' ball.
From a steal on the halfway line, Tenby transferred the ball wide through some excellent work by Anthony Griffiths, supported by Sion Brace and Darren Rees, only to see a knock-on stop what was a threatening attack.
The influential Sion Brace was next to test the visitors' defence when he just failed to control his chip and chase kick which had stretched them to breaking point. The resulting scrum, however, capitalised on the ground made by this attack when picking-up skilfully from a retreating scrum, number eight Griffiths linked with fellow back row man Allen, who brought the threes into play, resulting in left wing Will Crockford going over in the right hand corner.
The conversion by Darren Rees just sailed wide.
Not resting on their laurels, Tenby again went on the attack when the fit again Richard Rossiter took a quick penalty which caught the visitors' defence at sixes and sevens. The attack was sustained with a bullocking run by prop Lee Tucker that was eventually stopped by some resolute Kidwelly defending.
The players on the park were at last listening to messages from the coaching staff of Kidwelly and they started to play to their dominant pack, well supported by some sniping runs by scrum-half Thomas. It was from a roly-poly rolling maul that the visitors took the lead when after gaining valuable yardage, the ball was eventually released for centre Rob Walters to crash over wide out. Leighton Walters added the extras.
Stung by this reverse, Tenby went straight back on the attack when the vocal visiting supporters were baying for their side to stick to the forwards and grind the home eight into the ground. A slick handling movement initiated by the impressive Andrew Jones, carried on by Gavin Brace and Dan Shooter, saw Jones just beaten to the touchdown following a grubber kick through by Shooter.
The game was turning into a classic, with the heavy visiting eight, supported by their half-backs, being used to gain dominance; a ploy being challenged by a lighter and more mobile Tenby eight, admirably supported by an eager set of threes.
Veteran centre Neil Truman replaced the injured Will Crockford, who showed promising glimpses on the wing, at half-time and the game got straight back into the pattern of play experienced at the end of the first half.
Griffiths, who had perfected the art of pick-up and go from a retreating scrum to a point of sheer excellence, was again in action, linking with Simaline and the industrious Allen to gain valuable territory further exploited by half-backs Davies and Brace.
Against the run of play, however, it was Kidwelly who had the next chance to trouble the scoreboard when a penalty was awarded for killing the ball in a ruck, but Walters fired his attempt wide.
Using every opportunity to test a tiring Kidwelly forward unit, the home side, through Allen, Rees and replacement Truman, engineered a situation for centre Andrew Jones to slice through the defence and bring Scott Payne into the move. The sprightly prop straightened the line and from quick ruck ball, Andrew Davies fed Sion Brace who fired an outrageous overhead pass to the unmarked Truman, who gleefully galloped over wide out. Rees just missed with the difficult conversion and with 15 minutes left to play Kidwelly restarted, having bolstered their pack with several replacements, making their intentions for the remainder of the game very clear.
It would have been very easy for the home side to sit back on their narrow lead and attempt to contain the heavier visitors' eight, but no, they had the confidence and will to stick to the game plan that had worked well to date and spun the ball wide at every opportunity.
The lineout ball winning capabilities of James and Allen were constantly put to the test as they persisted in spoiling the visitors' throw-in, a testament to their skill as well to the excellent work put in by the unsung forwards who toil away lifting the jumpers.
The contribution of the forwards was not restricted to the lineout, with Gene Hocking showing the visitors how to make the real hard yards with several straight charges up field, straightening the line of attack and neatly presenting the ball back for scrum-half Davies to decide whether to kick, probe or link and keep the visitors on the back foot.
With Nicky Guymer and Rob James on for hard working pair of Richard Rossiter and Nicky Simaline, coach Thomas was obviously confident that his young replacements would in no way weaken the home 15 and both players were quickly into action justifying the faith placed in them by the coach.
The immense forward effort was well matched and balanced by the home threequarters, both in attack as well as defence. Through Shooter, Gavin Brace, Andrew Davies, Crockford, Truman, aided by the reliable Darren Rees, half-backs Davies and Brace mixed and matched their play showing-up the limitations and single dimension visitors attack.
Relying very heavily on an up-and-under kicking attack, Kidwelly totally overlooked the fact that Darren Rees fielded absolutely everything and either fired back a kick that gained yards or set-off to link with his supporting team-mates.
The game finished with Walters firing a penalty attempt wide from a kickable position, which could have given Kidwelly an undeserved share of the spoils.
With all three teams winning at home on Saturday, the celebrations went on late in the night in a very vibrant Upper Frog Street clubhouse.
N. D. Toy and Partners Ltd. sponsored the match. The match ball sponsor was Ali Brace and the man-of-the-match award was donated by J. V. Rowe and Sons.
Mascot for the day was David Duckworth.
Tenby: Darren Rees, Dan Shooter, Gavin Brace, Andrew Jones, Will Crockford (Neil Truman), Sion Brace (capt.), Andrew Davies, Scott Payne, Richard Rossiter (Nicky Guymer), Lee Tucker, Chris James, Gene Hocking, Nicky Simaline (Robert James), Anthony Griffiths, Nicky Allen. Sub not used - Mark Brace.