Narberth 33 pts. Beddau 3

An excellent display by the Narberth pack was instrumental in setting up this home win, against a committed Beddau team.

It was not quite as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, but the Otters were in the ascendancy for large chunks of the game and remain second in the Championship table.

Third-placed Bargoed have narrowed the gap to just two points, despite the continuance of the Narberth winning streak.

Commenting after the match, Narberth prop Sean Lloyd, who doubles up as the team manager, said: "We managed to grind out a hard fought win in the end, in a very physical game.

"Beddau were a tough and robust side who tried to slow us down. It was difficult to get rush ball to feed the backs from the rucks and mauls.

"We had a lot of youngsters in the side and they all put their hands up. The scrum played a big part in the result and we were able to dominate the last quarter of the match.

"The back row was influential, Ianto Griffiths controlled the game and it was good to see club captain Steve Martin back in action for the team."

Fly-half Ianto Griffiths gave the Otters an early lead after four minutes with a medium distance penalty kick.

He lit up the match with a moment of magic 10 minutes later with a breath-taking individual try.

The Otters had the throw from a lineout 10 metres from the Beddau line. The forwards won the ball, escaped the attention of the Beddau defenders in a maul, recycled the ball quickly and Rhys Lane maintained the momentum by passing smoothly to Ianto Griffiths.

In a try, reminiscent of the Welsh greats in the outside-half position, Griffiths wrong-footed the Beddau defence by feigning to pass, before weaving his way under the posts.

He was on target with the conversion kick and after 31 minutes his second penalty extended the lead to 13 points at the interval.

The fly-half was in action again just after the start of the second half with another successful penalty, but Beddau fullback Tom Benjamin reduced the lead with a penalty, which was the first and only score for the visitors in the match.

The irrepressible Griffiths increased the lead for the Otters with an opportunist drop-goal and, although Beddau attempted to keep in the game, it became clear that they were swimming against the tide when Otters' skipper Steve Martin finished off a well-worked try in the left corner.

From a fluent passing movement, Otters' wing Jonathan Morgan broke through the Beddau first line of defence and raced up field from the halfway line. Martin was outside his left shoulder in support to receive the scoring pass and he celebrated his return to full fitness and league action by racing over for a try, which was converted by Ianto Griffiths.

Continuous pressure by the Otters in the closing stages of the match produced an extra time penalty try, from a scrum infringement and Ianto Griffiths added the points for the conversion.

Apart from the fine performance up front by the pack, throughout the match the Narberth handling was slicker than that of the opposition and the defence better organised to deny any Beddau players the chance to cross the line.

Ianto Griffiths was nominated man of the match by the Health Centre Balcony Suite sponsors, Graham Searle and John Morris and Friends. In making the presentation, Graham Searle said that "After careful consideration it had been decided to select Ianto Griffiths for his all-round performance in the match."

There had been other good individual performance by the back row combination of Dylan Richards, Stuart Worrall, Lewis Wood and replacement Steffan Phillips. In addition, the front row of Ollie Evans, Dan Smith, Simon Gardiner and replacement Sean Lloyd had also played a big part in the win.

Folly Farm Otters Holt sponsors were the club's main sponsors, G. D. Harries and Sons.

Ball sponsors were Narberth RFC Under 15 team and parents, Narberth RAOB Social Club and the Narberth RFC Former Players Association.

Narberth fielded: Nick Gale, Jonathan Morgan (Tomi Jones), Steve Martin (C), Richard Davies, Jason Howells, Ianto Griffiths, Rhys Lane (Adrian Killa), Ollie Evans (Sean Lloyd), Dan Smith, Simon Gardiner (Tom Slater), Adam Clarke, Alex Jenkins (Steffan Phillips), Dylan Richards, Stuart Worrall and Lewis Wood (Steffan Phillips).