After a superb league run, Tenby United Youth's season came off the rails at Pembroke's Crickmarren ground on Friday evening when a well-drilled Haverfordwest outfit completely outgunned them to win the Youth Cup.

This Gary Corby Tyres sponsored final had all the makings of a real crowd pleaser, but it was the large contingent of Blues fans who had the broadest smiles as their team ran out clear winners by 23 points to nil.

Playing into the wind and the setting sun in the first half, the young Seasiders found themselves up against more than the elements as the Blues were quicker to gain their composure after a rather untidy opening quarter.

After a frantic and rather scrappy start, Tenby found themselves penned in their own half for much of the time, with Blues back row men Gareth Jones and David Maddocks continually breaking the gain line from loose play

Under pressure at forward, despite skipper Robert James's best efforts at rallying his troops through example and the industry of back row colleague Harry Bolton, the Seasiders struggled for possession, and it was only their determined defence which held the Blues at bay.

Haverfordwest stand-off Tom Sterling was off target with a penalty, while prop James Davies and wing Duncan Hart both crossed the line, only to have their tries disallowed by referee, Mr. Tony Pratt, as the Blues kept the United under the cosh.

Hart was not to be denied a second time, however. When the Blues moved the ball open from the base of a scrum, he popped over on the overlap to open Haverfordwest's account with an unconverted try.

Although they tried to bring their threes into play from scant possession, Tenby half-backs Will Crockford and Thomas Lewis found themselves with little space to work in as Maddocks and Jones conspired to close them down.

Lewis found tactical kicking into the wind difficult, while he also missed with a penalty to reduce the arrears.

Haverfordwest edged further in front when Sterling slotted over a drop goal, before Lewis started to find his measure and gained Tenby a foothold in Blues territory with an excellent long range touch finder.

Awarded a penalty from the ensuing lineout, Tenby's Ben Cray tried to bulldoze his way through from the tap, but a misdemeanour as the move was held up, allowed Sterling to relieve the pressure.

Tenby lock Chris James controlled the linesout well, but the Seasiders were unable to capitalise on second phase, with Haverfordwest always looking to run back at them.

Maddocks again broke the gain line from the back for the Blues, with quick recycling giving Sterling the time and space to slot over a second drop goal to put Haverfordwest 11 points in front.

Scrum-half Jamie Barnes was innovative behind, always looking to bring his threes into play to keep Tenby on the defensive.

Working the ball through several phases, Haverfordwest again forced Tenby to back-pedal, with Maddocks taking the ball on the burst and claiming a try as reward for all his efforts .

Sterling was off target with the conversion to leave the Blues 16 points ahead at the break.

Tenby came out in determined mood after the change around with driving play which almost netted them a try in the corner, but wing Gareth Hughes was unable to hold onto the ball as he tried to take it on the burst.

Centre Scott McGloughlin also came close but chose to try and chip the Blues defence rather than look to men outside him, while Bolton also tried to force his way over from a tap penalty, but was held up short.

It was indicative of Tenby in the closing stages when, despite the best efforts of the pack to win ball and work possession back upfield, the United self-destructed in promising position, with slack passing, wrong options and unforced errors all conspiring against them.

Sterling put the game beyond doubt going into the closing stages when he intercepted on the halfway line and broke through the Seasiders' defence to send Hart over unopposed under the posts.

Sterling converted to give the Blues a commanding 23-nil lead with just minutes remaining on the clock.

Tenby's woes were further compounded in the last quarter when lock James was red-carded for alleged stamping in the ruck, although the Blues were also forced to end the game with 14 men when flanker Jones was given 10 minutes in the sin-bin for an indiscretion in the loose.

Tenby refused to drop their heads, and they almost bagged a try late on when replacement Nicholas Rowe crossed the line, but referee Mr. Pratt ruled it out for an earlier indiscretion in the loose.

It mattered little, however, as the well-drilled Blues had done more than enough to seal the silverware over a distinctly out of kilter United side.

Tenby United fielded: Jason Newell, Barry Wolverson, Scott McGloughlin, Daniel Shooter, Gareth Hughes, Thomas Lewis, William Crockford, Ben Cray, Nicholas Guymer, Sean Beach, Chris James, Gareth Edwards, Robert James (capt.), Harry Bolton, James Caine.

Replacements - Richard Merriman James Davies, John Morris, Geoffrey Martin, Dean Richards, Rhydian Rees.