Tenby Utd 17 pts.

Coastal Cottages sponsored Tenby United 1st XV welcomed league leaders and so far unbeaten Haverfordwest to the eagerly awaited derby clash in Division Three West on Saturday.

With the Heywood Lane pitch in its usual brilliant condition and the weather clearing as the game kicked off, it was expected to be an entertaining encounter and had attracted a pretty large crowd.

From the off, it was clear that Haverfordwest had come to maintain their unbeaten record as they came out all guns blazing and scored within the first five minutes after quick ball from a ruck sent their speedy back three on a run, resulting in a try in the corner, which was duly converted.

From the re-start, the Seasiders settled into the game and soaked up some strong running from the visitors, with captain Nicky Guymer leading from the front, along with scrum-half Jason Scarfe and back rowers Wyndham Williams, 18-year-old Youth player Dylan Grifin and Luke Dedman all putting in the big tackles that kept Haverfordwest out.

United worked well, with the pack securing good lineout ball through Dedman and Laurens Britts, which enabled fly-half Tom Lewis to keep the visitors pinned in their own half through some huge and accurate kicks to the corners.

Tenby were certainly showing big signs of improvement, with good linking between forwards and backs, and almost touched down through prop Geoffrey Martin after speedy winger Dave Meyrick outpaced two defenders before linking with the busy Britts, who got the ball away to Martin, who went on a trademark bullocking run and was just dragged into touch before the line by no less than five visiting defenders.

From the lineout, Haverfordwest won quick ball and spread it along their dangerous looking back line, managing to take the attack deep into Tenby territory and, after some gritty defence by the home side, the visitors managed to sneak over through prop Rob Evans.

The try was also converted, bringing the score to 14-nil in favour of the visitors after 15 minutes.

Tenby didn't give up, though, and carried on moving the visitors' pack around the park through good running by Jimmy Davies, Lloyd Thomas, Tom Dennis and second row Ben Cray, and also through more tactical kicking from the boot of Lewis.

The game was starting to look a little more even now that The Seasiders' confidence and belief in themelves and coaches Emori and Pie was growing more and more, but unfortunately it was the sharp backs of the visitors that managed another two tries and a penalty before half-time, compared to a lone penalty by Tenby's Lewis just before the break,bringing the score to 27-3 at the interval.

At half-time, one change was made and that was young flanker Grifin, who had had an excellent half, making way for old timer and his Youth team coach, Scott Payne, who was certainly fired up and excited to be back in the 1st XV after a spell on the injury list with a bad neck.

Whatever coach Katalau and skipper Guymer said to the troops at half-time seemed to be working as they came out and started to boss the well-drilled Haverfordwest side right from the whistle.

The visitors looked stunned after the Tenby scrummage began to really ask questions of their experienced and highly decorated pack, with front row forwards Martin, Guymer and Palmer totally getting the better of them and the game looked like it was changing when replacement Sion Brace, on for Dennis, jinked through the defence and passed to Payne, who went over in the corner.

Lewis added the difficult touchline conversion with little problem.

Tenby began to dominate the visitors up front and behind and it was like watching a totally different game from the first half.

The backline was receiving good ball from the hard working and now dominant pack and were giving the visitors big problems in every area of play.

Tenby were hitting rucks and all contact areas with aggression and winning quality possession which had Haverfordwest stunned.

The hard work put in on the training field and massive increase in numbers was now paying off and Tenby scored again in the 52nd minute after a huge downfield kick from Lewis turned the visitors, with the chase and persistent pressure seeing work-horse Wyndham Williams go over for a try, which the on form Turbo gladly converted to put Tenby 10 points behind.

The remainder of the game went much the same, with Tenby showing huge and encouraging signs of improvement as they dominated the rest of the match and, with 12 minutes to go, Emori Katalau came on to replace Cray, who had played well, and Dan Thomas came on for Jon Owen.

Haverfordwest did manage just the one visit to the scoreboard in the second half when a late kick ahaead and kind bounce allowed their winger to cross for a converted try, making it Tenby 17 Haverfordwest 34, with the final whistle blowing soon after.

Tenby can take plenty of positives from the game and look confident going into tomorrow's (Saturday's) clash at Newcaslte Emlyn and will be looking to get back to the winning ways that the side are more used to.

There will be an entertaining home game for those who who can't make the trip up to Emlyn as the talented and unbeaten Tenby Youth XV entertain Whitland Youth in the eagerly-awaited and rearranged top-of-the-table and possible league deciding fixture, even this early in the season, at Heywood Lane at 2.30 pm.

Everyone who is not travelling away, is urged to go and show their support to the young Seasiders for this massive fixture.

Tenby United fielded: Jonny Palmer, Nicky Guymer, capt., Geoff Martin, Ben Cray (Emori Katalau), Laurens Britts, Dylan Grifin (Scott Payne), Luke Dedmna, Wyndham Williams, Jason Scarfe, Tom Lewis, Tom Dennis, Dave Meyrick, Jon Owen (Dan Thomas), Jimmy Davies, Lloyd Thomas.