Pembroke Dock Harlequins 24 pts.

Pembroke RFC 18

In front of a large crowd and with the weather more accustomed to the cricket season, the two local rivals went at each hammer and tongs from start to finish, with the outcome in the balance right up to the final whistle.

The Quins started off the stronger, but were conceding too many penalties to make any impression on the scoreboard.

The hosts then produced two tries in the space of three minutes, as first outside-half Lewis Davies kicked for the corner and fullback Damien Miller followed up to cause panic in the Scarlet ranks.

The ball went loose and centre Jack Price needed no second invitation to scoop the ball up and touchdown. Lewis Davies missed the conversion.

Next it was the visitors’ turn to transgress, as a quickly taken free-kick by tight-head prop Sean Willington made huge inroads into the Scarlets defence, before the ball was recycled, which ended with Miller streaking in for his side’s second try. Davies was successful with the conversion to put the Quins 12 points up.

The Scarlets hit back with a strong run from second row Kyle Wetherall, which nearly ended in a try for left wing Barry John, with only last ditch Quins defending keeping him out.

Ten minutes before the break they did get on the scoreboard as the Quins were still conceding a lot of penalties.

Centre Liam Price duly obliged to peg the score back to 12-3, and this was quickly followed by a try for outside-half Rhys Johns, which was converted by Price to reduce the gap even further to 12-10.

But it was the Quins with their devastating counter-attacking who soon hit back when Miller streaked in for his fifth try of the season.

Davies added the extras to extend the lead to 19-10.

However, it was the Scarlets who had the last say of the half when prop Johnny Palmer forced his way over.

Price missed the conversion, leaving the score at 19-15 at the break.

The second half was marred by numerous stoppages as players from both sides were feeling the effects of the total commitment they were putting in.

The Scarlets were shading territory and possession as the Quins were still giving away far too many penalties, and it was not long before they were made to pay when Price reduced the deficit even further to 19-18.

The whole outcome of the match was now up in the air as the visitors strived for the score that would put them in the lead.

The Quins defence held firm, though, as the game went into at least 15 minutes of injury time, and the home side’s faithful were wishing their lives away for the final whistle, while Pembroke supporters were just hoping they could create one more opportunity.

However, it was the Quins who had the final say when Price, on a long arcing run, touched down for the all-important bonus point try.

Davies missed the conversion, but soon after the Quins forced a penalty, which much to the relief of the Scarlet supporters, he pushed just wide of the posts which, of course, would have robbed the visitors of a losing bonus point, which was the least they deserved.

Pembroke Dock Quins team: Damien Miller, Paul Jonkers, Jack Price, Thomas Doyle, Jake Griffiths, Lewis Davies, Elliot Lewis, Barry Parsons, Stefan Halwood, Alex Pierce, Mark Van Rhyn, Mike Davis, Sean Willington, Neil Brace (Capt) and Dean Wilcox.

Replacements: Danny Woods, Kevin Bratcher, Jake Newman, Nathan George, Gary Pickering, Chad Monk.