The Tenby United Youth (Under 18) team played Haverfordwest on Friday, at Neyland, in the final of the Griffiths Cup.
Tenby played up the slope in the first-half and knew they had to keep Haverfordwest from building up a lead. The game ebbed and flowed and it was Tenby who scored first.
Haverfordwest conceded a penalty and outside-half Tom Lewis kicked the goal.
The Haverfordwest pack fielded three Welsh internationals, but the Tenby forwards played magnificently and did not yield an inch. James Caine ruled the linesout and the back-row of vice-captain Robert James, Nicky Guymer and Andrew Dennis were first to everything.
When Haverfordwest did run the ball, they found the Tenby backline of Will Crockford, Tom Lewis, Rhidian Rees (who was only playing his third game at inside centre), captain Gareth Bartlett, Barry Wolverson, Scott McLoughlin and Mark Stevens standing up to anything they threw at them, with Tenby putting in some ferocious tackles and causing turn-overs.
Haverfordwest had several chances to go into the lead through penalties, but outside-half Mark Jones and fullback Tom Stirling missed several between them.
With the half drawing to a close, Mark Jones at last did convert one penalty, to make the score 3-3 at half-time.
The second-half saw Tenby pressing down the slope, with props Tom Beynon and Chris Harries not giving an inch to the Haverfordwest international props David Maddocks and Neil Phillips.
From exerting pressure in the Haverfordwest 22, Tom Lewis dropped a goal to make the score 6-3. Scott McLoughlin went close down the left, and Barry Wolverson and Andrew Dennis went close down the right, before Haverfordwest strayed offside and gave Tom Lewis the chance to extend Tenby's lead with a penalty. This he did to make the score 9-3.
Chris James put in some good tackles as Haverfordwest threw everything at Tenby.
Robert James stole a lineout ball and galloped towards the try line with only the fullback to beat. He stepped inside, but the fullback just managed to slow him down enough for the cover to get back.
During the last few minutes Haverfordwest were camped in the Tenby 22. They had a crucial scrum five metres out, but the Tenby front row, with hooker Dean Richards and replacement prop Sean Beach, took one against the head and Tenby cleared their lines.
The whistle went just after this and Tenby had won the Griffiths Cup to much jubilation.
The Tenby win was attributed to the whole squad, with all the replacements playing in Tenby's march to the final.
A big thank you must also go to Delwyn Brace and Roscoe Howell, who, although too old for this competition, have been valuable members of the Youth squad all season.
Squad for the Griffiths Cup final: Gareth Bartlett (capt.), Robert James (vice-capt.), Mark Stevens, Barry Wolverson, Scott McLoughlin, Rhidian Rees, Tom Lewis, Will Crockford, Chris Harris, Dean Richards, Tom Beynon, Chris James, James Caine, Andrew Dennis, Nicky Guymer, Sean Beach, Gareth Protheroe, Gareth Morgan, Ben Cray, Jason Newell, Mark Wooles, James Davies.