Tenby leave it late, but achieve vital win

Tenby United 11 pts. Trimsaran 6

In a game played in very different conditions to those experienced at Milford Haven the previous week, Chevron sponsored Tenby United took the field against high-flying Trimsaran on Saturday with the intention of coming away with a try win bonus result. As it turned out, though, they found themselves hanging on to a precious point, with the scores locked at 6-6 with just over 10 minutes left to play and being reduced to 13 players. But not only did they weather the expected onslaught by the visitors in the final 10 minutes of the game, as Trimsaran went eye-balls out for victory, they miraculously snatched an opportunistic poacher's try by livewire scrum-half Rhys Thomas to trot off into the changing rooms with a haul of four precious league points, while Trimsaran were left to ponder on the 'what the happened there?' question. Tenby started as planned, running everything at the Trimsaran side, who responded by putting up a series of high kicks every time they secured possession. It was winger Paul Luger who led the way, as nearly all the kicks put in by the visitors seemed to be aimed at the burly winger, who obliged by cleanly catching each one and setting off on a threatening run, neatly linking with his supporting colleagues. Slick handling by Tom Lewis, Rhys Thomas, Arthur M-M and forwards Wyndham Williams and skipper Ifan Davies ensured that the ground made-up by the kicks was clawed back with some enterprising running, but all this good play was somewhat nullified with some silly penalties worryingly given away for technical offences at the breakdown. It was the penalties that allowed Trimsaran to get on the scoreboard as playmaker Dafydd Latham slotted his second attempt over the bar to give the visitors a somewhat fortunate lead against the run of play. Tenby responded virtually straightaway when an arcing run by winger Dai Meyrick stretched the Trimsaran defence, forcing them to offend at the breakdown, and number 10 Tom Lewis levelled the scores at 3-3. Trimsaran compounded the situation straight from the restart as the ball failed to travel the mandatory 10 metres and their scrum was under immense pressure, with the back row having to stay bound to prevent the Tenby eight from shunting them backwards. This created the space and time needed for Tom Lewis, Steve Ireland and winger Paul Luger to put together a neat handling movement, taking play deep into Trimsaran territory. The forwards secured the quick possession necessary to maintain the momentum and Lewis fired over a well-judged drop goal to put the United briefly in front at 6-3. Latham tested the Tenby defence in similar fashion with a neat break, and yet another penalty at the breakdown allowed the number 10 to level the scores again at 6-6. Not taking their foot off the gas, however, Tenby maintained the pressure on the visitors as a series of attacks involving Lewis and centres Gavin Brace and Arthur M-M, supported by Steve Ireland and Paul Luger, maintained the momentum, and it was only a high pass, which slowed Luger down as he stretched to grasp the ball, that prevented the first try of the afternoon being scored by Tenby. The Tenby eight were putting the visiting forwards under immense pressure and a series of scrums as they camped on the Trimsaran line just failed to yield a score as first fullback Steve Ireland knocked-on with the line at his mercy, to be followed by a neat chip through by Arthur M-M being minored before wing Dai Meyrick could get to the ball. In addition to dominating the set-piece, Tenby were also causing their opponents problems at the lineout, with Ifan Davies prominent, not only in securing his own ball from some accurate throwing by hooker Mike Lewis, but also disrupting the ball thrown to the Trimsaran target man. However, despite this dominance, it was the visitors who finished the half on a high, with centre Aaron Davies breaking through a slack midfield Tenby defence to threaten the line, and it took the combined efforts of a back-tracking Arthur M-M, ably supported by number eight Wyndham Williams, to tackle and steal the ball, with the referee blowing for time as Lewis fired the ball into touch. Coach Davies took as long as he possibly could at the break to get his instructions across to the huddle of Tenby players, completing his half-time tasks by getting some interpretation of the laws being applied by referee Edwards. The restart saw Trimsaran threaten the Tenby line on several occasions, with forwards coming onto the ball from deep with some well-timed runs, and it took some determined tackling by the home side to prevent anything threatening from being developed, with Tom Lewis clearing the ball, only for Trimsaran to repeat the dose several times during the first 10 minutes of the half. This period of pressure was broken when Wyndham Williams broke from the base of the scrum and his surging run was continued by back row colleagues Emyr Hughes and Nicky Guymer, with Trimsaran scurrying back to minor a neat chip through put in by wing Dai Meyrick. Determined to snatch the lead, and secure the first try of the afternoon, Tenby put together a neat move right off the training paddock involving Steve Ireland and Meyrick, and it was only a delayed offload to the supporting Paul Luger that prevented Tenby from achieving their goal. A drop goal attempt by Lewis sailed wide after good work yet again by Luger, as he fielded a high up and under, as Tenby maintained the pressure and in an attempt to inject some new ideas into the mix, coach Davies brought on replacement centre Mark Heywood for Arthur M-M and he was into the action immediately, taking a crash ball from Lewis and causing the Trimsaran covering defence to offend at the breakdown, presenting Tom Lewis with an ideal, and not too difficult chance, of taking Tenby into a three-point lead. To the surprise of both spectators and fellow players, his attempt only found the upright and Trimsaran managed to clear the danger. Despite having an uncomfortable afternoon against both props Mark Brace and Ben Cray, coach Davies gave Trimsaran some sort of potential relief (or so they thought) as he brought the pair off and sent on 'second string' Lee Tucker and Scott Payne. Any ideas the visitors had of having an easier time at the set-piece were immediately shattered as at the next scrum the home eight absolutely destroyed their opponents and a bewildered referee Edwards gave them a penalty as he thought there must have been some sort of technical offence being committed as Trimsaran sorted out the mangled mess. This relief was short-lived as Tenby camped on the Trimsaran line for a full 10 minutes as scrum followed scrum, but the visitors somehow kept their line intact, despite being under immense pressure. It seemed that it would only be a matter of time for Tenby to score as the tactical switch introduced by bringing on Heywood in the centre gave them a more direct cutting edge in midfield and when it came the set-piece, the Trimsaran front row must have winced every time there was a knock-on or offence that resulted in a scrum being awarded by referee Edwards. All this optimism, however, was shattered within 60 seconds as first flanker Guymer was yellow-carded as the referee harshly deemed he had entered the breakdown from the side, to be quickly followed by prop Scott Payne, who, having had a punch aimed at him, seemed to be holding a Trimsaran player to prevent another blow heading his way. The baying of the visiting supporters, however, convinced referee Edwards to get another yellow card out and brandish it at the luckless Payne. This provided Trimsaran with the encouragement they needed as they went for victory, with wing Paul Luger leaving the field to be replaced by prop Mark Brace, who joined the pack to slot in for the departed Payne. A combination of white line fever, over-eagerness, the odd knock-on and some superb defending by Tenby, with flanker Emyr Hughes, second row Gareth Edwards and centre Gavin Brace leading by example, frustrated the efforts made by Trimsaran to snatch the lead as they camped and stayed deep in Tenby territory. It was a mistake by their half-backs that allowed Rhys Thomas to intercept an intended pass and hoof the ball up field. Miraculously, the ball steered clear of the touchline, allowing a second hack by Thomas to take play deep into the Trimsaran half. Untidy play at the resulting lineout by Trimsaran not only allowed the clock to tick down, it also allowed Guymer to rejoin the fray for the final 60 seconds of play and from the scrum that followed, the Trimsaran scrum-half and captain Ioan Jones, and influential number eight Downey, totally messed their attempt at a pick-up from the base of a retreating scrum and the ball neatly popped-up into the hands of Rhys Thomas, who scampered the 22 metres to the goal-line to dive over for the winning score. Surprisingly, the usually reliable Lewis blasted the conversion wide and Tenby agonisingly faced the kick-off with a narrow 11-6 lead, but managed to get the ball off the park before Trimsaran could put any threatening move together and referee Edwards blew for time. Coach Davies held a long session on the field with the entire squad after the whistle and made his feelings known about the game, praising the players for the character shown in those final nail- biting 10 minutes, but also questioning the missed chances and lack of discipline that could have ended the season for the side. With two tricky away games at Llandeilo and league leaders Hendy occupying the next two Saturdays, there will be some hard work needed at training in the lead-up to these, with a home game against Tycroes (who defeated Tenby earlier in the campaign) bringing the month to a close. Tenby fielded: Steve Ireland, Dai Meyrick, Gavin Brace, Arthur M-M (Mark Heywood), Paul Luger, Tom Lewis, Rhys Thomas, Mark Brace (Scott Payne), Mike Lewis Ben Cray, (Lee Tucker), Ifan Davies, Gareth Edwards, Nicky Guymer, Wyndham Williams, Emyr Hughes. Replacement not used - Richard Rossiter.