Llanharan 27 pts. Whitland 19

This Swalec Championship clash on Saturday was far from a one-way process and Llanharan dominated in patches, only for Whitland to play catch-up whenever the contest seemed a foregone conclusion.

The home team had two tries on the board in the opening quarter, playing down the slope with the near gale at their backs.

The first came in just four minutes, Harley Thomson forcing hard in the middle before talented age group prospect Tom Pascoe determinedly held off tackles to get over the line for an impressive score, with Thomson converting.

It looked ominous for Whitland as another try soon followed. Lewis Young supplied the lineout ball, Tom Marley put a shrewd kick over the top, and Carey won the race to the touchdown with wing colleague Jack Phillips in synchronised action on his shoulder.

When Whitland did get into the game, they found the skills of players like Ryan Evans, drafted in at fullback, and the rampaging Justin Benfield more than equal to the threat.

But it was Benfield's yellow-carding on the half-hour that opened up an unexpected window of opportunity for the Borderers. The weakened home scrum yielded a free-kick and the quick take ended with second row Keiran White driving over.

Although a restored full strength Llanharan seemed to be back into its stride, an interception allowed scrum-half Dafydd Evans to race home from halfway and Jonathan Thomas converted to level the scores at the interval 12 points each.

However, the Black and Blues were quick to reassert dominance after the restart and some expert pick and drive play culminated in right wing Jack Phillips going over at an angle to reclaim the lead.

It looked as though they had made the game safe when the bonus point fourth try arrived. Effective number eight James Locke made a surging run through the middle, timing his offload to perfection for number 15 Ryan Evans to finish off, Thomson's kick stretching the gap to 24-12.

However, Whitland were far from dead and buried. They had shown commendable willingness to play football throughout, but went back to basics as they put a penalty out on the five-metre line and hooker Mark Jones rounded off the driving maul. Jonathan Thomas converted and there was every prospect of an upset, but the indomitable Thomson, making a good job of wearing Rees's 10 shirt, ran strongly to create a penalty opportunity, his own successful kick being the last of the match and one that deprived a gallant Whitland team of even a consolation bonus point.

Team fielded: Jonathan Thomas, Dafydd Williams, Lee Glanville (capt), Mike Giorgiou, Tomi Jones, Carwyn Jones, Dafydd Evans (Andrew Jenkins), Rhodri West (Nathan Price), Marc Jones, Gethin Jones (Gareth Lloyd), Dai Ebsworth, Kieran White, Dylan Richards, Zac Francis-Miller, Callum Tree

Subs not used - Chris Smart and Carwyn Phillips.

Cardigan 2nd XV 10 pts Whitland 2nd XV 36

Whitland started their defence of the Pembrokeshire Junior Union Cup with a visit to Cardigan and came away with a comfortable victory by 36 points to 10. In the process they scored six tries, two each for centre Liam Price and number eight Rhydian Davies and one each for winger Will Davies and prop Lee Williams, with outside-half Scott Newton converting three of them.