Buoyant from the recent few games, Tenby travelled to Cwmaman Park to play Amman United for the first ever time in a crucial bottom of the table match, but came away disappointed as they lost what turned out to be a very one-sided affair.

Kicking-off down the slope with the breeze in their favour, Tenby capitalised on an error by the home side in trying to secure the ball and from the resulting scrum, Neil Duffy tested the fullback with a high, hanging kick into the box, which was chased down by an eager Will Crockford.

Sam Smith was next to test the home defence as he broke away from the base of the scrum, a threat that was quickly followed when flanker Justin Richards drove on from a rolling maul, only to be stopped in his tracks by the covering defence.

This initial flurry of attacks was next headed-up by prop Lee Tucker, who unluckily saw what could have been a scoring pass to a supporting Tenby player, intercepted, allowing Amman to clear the danger.

Amman were slowly getting the measure of these sporadic Tenby attacks and were starting to thread one or two neat moves together involving both backs and forwards, all orchestrated by their influential number 10, Adrian Thomas.

Ironically, one such attack nearly led to Tenby taking the lead when an excellent tackle and steal by energetic captain Harry Bolton saw the flanker link with fellow back row forward Sam Smith, who in turn released Gareth Edwards, who galloped from his 22 deep into the Amman 22, only to be bundled into touch near the corner.

Rather than capitalise on this attacking position, Tenby then succeeded in giving away a string of silly penalties which resulted in the home side taking the lead from a catch and drive near the Tenby line. To add salt to the wound, Thomas added the extras from the touchline for a hard fought 7-0 lead.

Tenby seemed to have lost the plot in terms of game plan as they abandoned their traditional pick and go ploy, to tie in the close defence, by vainly attempting to spread the ball wide. Against such a very well organised defence, Tenby continually failed to get the ball beyond inside centre Mark Heywood. To make matters worse, the base of the scrum ball won by Tenby was also being disrupted as they struggled to get back into the game. The odd crunching tackle put in by Harry Bolton and Sam Smith also failed to inspire the visiting XV as Amman started to totally control the game and frustrate the visitors.

Thirty minutes into the game, Tenby managed to get the ball to the strong running outside centre Tom Dennis, who was stopped in his tracks by an excellent cover tackle, which was about the only time in the second period of the half that Tenby threatened the home side.

From the resulting scrum, Tenby themselves were under threat as the home side attempted to drive them over the line. The scrum held firm, but when the ball was released, a neat chip through by Thomas saw winger Cerith Thomas ease his way through a flat defence for an excellent corner try.

Maintaining his kicking record, Thomas added the extras again from the touchline as referee Carwen Phillips blew for half-time with Amman in control and 14-0 up.

Neil Machin took the opportunity to try to raise what had been a very flat performance knowing that unless Tenby got on the scorecard first, Amman would resume control, aided by the fresh breeze and slope.

From the off, Tenby tested the home side with a series of pick and go charges which seemed to be an excellent ploy to break down what had become a very stubborn defensive wall, and a quick tap and go penalty by Neil Duffy had Amman on the back foot. However, the home side weathered the storm and urged on by instructions from their coach, ground out a situation where they had a series of scrums in the bottom right-hand corner of the pitch which had the benefit offered by the slope.

A controlled shove, which presented the Tenby back row with the dilemma of staying down to counter the surge or ease-off to tackle any charge by their opposite numbers, resulted in the Tenby pack being shunted back and number eight Karl Worsfold crashing over. This unconverted try stretched the lead to 19-0 and took the stuffing out of the Tenby side.

In an attempt to inject some pace into the game, scrum-half Neil Duffy released Arthur M-M, who in turn linked with centres Heywood and Tom Dennis, only to see the home defence adequately stifle the attack, with Thomas banging a huge touch-finder to drive Tenby back deep into their own half.

Justin Richards was replaced by Stuart Tyrie, which led to Tenby remembering their game plan and again testing the home defence with some thunderous pick and drive runs.

Amman, however, had now sorted out what to do, and drove the ball carriers back each time they made the hard yards, which somewhat nullified this move as an attacking ploy.

To add to their misery, Tenby lost Harry Bolton for 10 minutes for a technical offence, compounded as Thomas belted the penalty through the uprights for a 22-0 lead.

While Tenby held firm, not allowing Amman to increase their lead during this 10-minute spell, they did their cause no good by several times spilling the ball in the tackle, allowing Thomas to drive them back with some raking touch-finders.

As Bolton returned to the fray, coach Machin also had to replace the injured Gareth Edwards with Nicky Guymer, by slotting Sam Smith into the second row and playing Guymer on the flank and Tyrie at number eight.

The game had gone a little flat, with Tenby lacking any real attacking ideas and Amman happy to sit on the healthy lead.

Llewellyn Rose was next to leave the field, seeing a welcome return for Owen Thomas, who had missed several of the recent games through injury.

In one of their rare attacking moves, Tenby gained a foothold in the Amman half, only for the opportunity to be nullified as hooker Lewis went diving over the top of a maul. Referee Phillips, however, reversed the decision due to some back- chat and Stuart Tyrie, taking advantage of the disorganised defence, nearly scrambled over.

As a scoring opportunity, this was the final attempt, despite Amman having number seven Steve Morris sent to the side for 10 minutes for dragging down a maul.

In a final attempt to salvage some pride, coach Machin made his final substitution, with Randall Watkins coming on to play on the wing, with Will Crockford taking over from Neil Duffy at scrum- half. These changes had no impact on the game, with only minutes left in what was a very disappointing display by Tenby, who now have their work cut out to retain their status in Division Three West, with only eight games remaining and an alarming gap of six points now sitting between them and the third and fourth from bottom placed Amman United and Tumble (who also both have a game in hand over Tenby United)

Last week the gap was evident between the bottom club in the division (Hendy) and next to bottom (Tenby United) when they piled 76 points on them. This week, the tables were reversed, with Tenby being cruelly exposed by the team only one place above them and like Tenby, desperate for league points.

Tenby fielded: Llewellyn Rose (Owen Thomas) - Tenby Auto Centre Car Sales, Will Crockford (Randell Watkins) - Tenby Glass, Mark Heywood - N. D. Toy & Partners Ltd, Independent Financial Advisors and Mortgage Brokers, Tom Dennis - Anne and Jeremy Rossiter, of Londis Stores, Manorbier, James Davies - W3 Designs, Affordable Web Design, Arthur Maulio-Martino - Rossiters Funeral Directors of Tenby and District, Neil Duffy - Pam Pam Restaurant, Tenby, Lee Tucker - Lewis, Lewis & Co Solicitors, Mike Lewis - John Boot, of Lydstep, Mark Brace - The Bay Tree Restaurant, Tenby, Wyndham Williams - Alan Jones, Tenby Utd RFC chairman, Gareth Edwards (Nicky Guymer) - Rumbleway Caravan Park, Justin Richards (Stuart Tyrie) - Gavin and Dudley Scotcher, Capital Roasters Coffee Co., Sam Smith - Mike Brace Home Maintenance Service, Harry Bolton (capt.) - Neil Finlay Car Sales.