Blackwood 30 pts. Narberth 41

Superb rugby in the first half gave the Otters a 34-6 lead at the interval, but Blackwood were allowed back into the game and scored four tries to Narberth's one after the break.

In the opening exchanges, the two fly-halves traded penalties, with Ianto Griffiths getting one for Narberth and Scott Turner two for Blackwood, including one massive kick from inside his own half.

Although the Wood three-quarters looked dangerous at times, the Otters started to make ground, with the backs on form and the two centres Steve Martin and Jason Howells combining well.

Narberth took control of the midfield and scored four tries in a 20-minute period, three of which were converted by Ianto Griffiths.

Griffiths was also influential in setting up the first try, with a midfield break and then Steve Martin used his pace to cut through the Wood defence to score a try in the left corner. Griffiths converted from the touchline.

Jason Howells created the second after good work by number eight Lewis Wood in a ruck. Howells ran at and through the Wood midfield to create enough room for Martin to outpace the defenders to score a try, again converted by Griffiths.

Centre Steve Martin claimed his hat-trick by being in the right position again to finish off another broken play move, which started from a counter-attack inside the Narberth half.

This time the try was created by wing Nick Gale with one of his defence-splitting breaks and Martin was able to score and celebrate his third try.

Griffiths was unable to convert, but he did get his third conversion after Wood scrum-half Gareth Hutchinson was yellow-carded.

A scrum infringement by the Blackwood pack near their own line resulted in a penalty try for the Otters which was converted by Griffiths.

On the stroke of half-time Narberth got their bonus point try when livewire scrum-half Rhys Lane was on hand to dart in for an unconverted try on the right from another counter-attack,

After the interval it was a different story and Wood hooker Stuart Volkes scored an unconverted try to reduce the lead in the opening minutes.

Narberth struck back within minutes with a try from flanker Gareth Bateman, converted by Ianto Griffiths, following some powerful work by the pack.

However, Wood were allowed back into the game and demonstrated their ability to create and score tries, with replacement hooker Dan Vella scoring one and flanker Lewis Gerrard the next.

In the dying embers of the game, centre Rhys Evans scored an excellent try to give Blackwood a deserved consolation bonus point in defeat.

Scott Turner converted two of the tries.

Commenting after the match, Narberth team management spokesman Robert Lewis said: "In the first half we played our best rugby of the season. There was good interaction between the backs and the forwards. We won ball from the set-pieces plus ball from the rucks and mauls.

"The backs played well and made ground in the centre so that there was space outside.

"We scored some cracking tries and it looked set up for a big score.

"Blackwood are a talented side and the scoreline was as it was at half-time because we put the hosts under pressure in the first half.

"After the interval, when Blackwood had the ball, we tended to stand off them and gave then room, with the result that Blackwood could create some good tries.

"It was disappointing that we went to sleep a little and Blackwood stepped up their game. From a neutral point of view it was an excellent game.

"At the end of the day, it was an away game and we got a bonus point. We have come through the last three games with three wins and we have got to be very happy with that situation.

"It proved that when the players put their minds to it, we are a good side. We have to learn to take that forward into the rest of the season."

Not surprisingly, centre Jason Howells was selected as the Narberth man-of-the-match by the team management.

There were also a number of other notable individual performances.

Up front, hooker Dan Smith worked tirelessly, lock Adam Clark had another excellent game and flanker Stuart Worrall was prominent before being injured, leaving the field at half-time.

Centre Steve Martin had a good all-round display, working well in tandem with Jason Howells.

Half-backs Ianto Griffiths and Rhys Lane combined well, with Lane sharp at the base of the scum and full-back Jonathan Morgan was always a threat to the opposition in counter-attack.

Narberth fielded: Jonathan Morgan, Nick Gale, Steve Martin (capt) (Tomi Jones), Jason Howells, Rhys Davies, Ianto Griffiths, Rhys Lane (Luke Rogers), Ollie Evans (Sean Lloyd), Dan Smith, Tom Slater (Steffan Jones), Adam Clark, Alex Jenkins, Gareth Bateman, Stuart Worrall (Steffan Phillips) and Lewis Wood.