The New Year looks to have brought new fortunes for Narberth as they welcomed in 2003 with a resounding 53-22 win over Treorchy at the Lewis Lloyd on Saturday.

After a spell of disappointing defeats, the Otters got their National League division one campaign back on track by outscoring the visitors from the Rhondda by seven tries to three.

The crisp, dry conditions made it ideal for an open game with the ball in hand and Narberth stated their intentions almost before the large crowd had settled down, with wing Nick James bagging a try in the second minute.

Prop Phil John made the initial break, with quick recycling allowing Simon Daniel and Daniel Gravell to make ground before linking with James who crossed in the left corner.

The try went unconverted, and, although lying at the foot of the table, the Zebras, clearly intended to make a game of things because they were soon back on terms, lock Craig Hughes netting an unconverted try in the right corner following a text-book catch and drive from a close range lineout.

Daniel saw a penalty attempt just shave an upright, but was on hand to add the extras following Narberth's second try.

In a magical piece of running rugby, Otters fullback Gareth Jones set home hearts fluttering when he spotted a gap in the Zebras' line and ran possession out of defence.

With controlled recycling at the breakdown and slick interpassing, Narberth maintained their momentum for scrum-half Adrian Killa to touch down.

Treorchy looked to have bounced straight back again when Peter Hutchings broke through, but the pacy Zebras wing found no way past the alert Gravell who saved a sure try by bundling his opposite into touch.

However, the break inspired the visitors, with outside-half Matthew Hutchings reducing the arrears with a neat drop goal.

Daniel cancelled out the score with a penalty at the other end, but the Zebras were back on terms by the half-hour mark when centre Stuart Thomas crossed for a try and Hutchings added the extras.

Counting down to the interval, the Otters raised their game and gained a tremendous psychological advantage with two tries in quick succession.

Daniel bagged the first from a blind-side break, while lock Emori Katalau, having his best game of the season for the Otters, zipped over for the second.

As prolific with the boot as ever, Daniel converted both to help Narberth to a 14-point interval lead.

Daniel added another penalty after the break as the Otters stepped up a gear.

Locks Jason Jennings and Katalau dominated the linesout to provide the platform for Killa and Daniel to vary their options, while centres Elgan Vittle and Andrew Bowen again proved an incisive midfield partnership.

In fact, it was Vittle who was instrumental in Narberth's fifth try, when he displayed his footballing skills with a well judged chip ahead to the corner for Gravell to run onto and touch down.

Daniel converted and was also on hand to add the extras as half-back partner Killa completed his hat-trick.

The inside-half picked up his second of the afternoon when he wrong-footed the Treorchy defence with a classic dummy, while his third was a typical scrum-half's try as he burrowed his way over to touch down from a rolling maul.

After passing the half-century mark, the Otters appeared to take their foot off the gas in the closing stages, allowing Treorchy centre Thomas to pick up his second try, which was again converted by Hutchings, but they had already done more than enough to secure victory after such a barren period in the league.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the Otters will be hoping to maintain their success as they travel to Rumney.