Tenby United (33) 52 Carmarthen Athletic (7) 35

With the run in to the end of the season hotting-up, with the single relegation settled and the two club promotion race to Division 1 West resting between four teams, Tenby Tourers sponsored Tenby United welcomed Carmarthen Athletic to Heywood Lane as the first of three consecutive home Saturday fixtures, with a win and/or win with a try bonus the target for all teams in contention for promotion. Having narrowly beaten the visitors 19-10, in a close game in December down at Athletic Park, coming away disappointed with the fact that they failed to secure a fourth try bonus point, the mood amongst the coaching staff, players and supporters was that this match would not be a repeat disappointment with both targets being achieved and with 86 points racked up in their last two games and 14 tries scored, they were certainly in a hot vein of form to achieve this.

The visitors were arriving having won a seesaw type game, with the lead constantly changing hands, against Mumbles on Wednesday by 25-20 and it was hoped that the short turn around time between games would benefit Tenby and have a telling effect, fitness wise, on Carmarthen Athletic. With several regulars missing, Carmarthen listed five changes from the team in the programme while Tenby followed their lead by having to juggle their bench to replace centre Jack Guerriero, who pulled up with a hamstring strain in the warm-up, with Connor Ennis slotting in on the wing and Mark Heywood moving to centre.

The visitors kicked-off on a glorious day for running rugby with the overnight rain just taking the hardness out of the pitch at Heywood Lane. Tenby set the scene for the afternoon with three tries in the first fifteen minutes with Barry Parsons, Luke Dedman and Rob Clark all showing up well straight from the off. The first try of the afternoon went to flanker Andrew Cooke who benefited from some slick handling by the 3’s to cruise through a huge hole in the visitors defence. Ashley Sutton added the extras and within two minutes he crossed for try number two having been worked clear by Luke Dedman, who made inroads into the Carmarthen chasers at the restart, linking with Mark Heywood and Luke Hansford who combined to put scrum half Matthew Morgan clear and his short pass to Sutton beat the last line of defence. Toby Smith successfully converted and an early 14-0 score had been established.

With Luke Dedman and Mike Davies dominating the early lineouts, the visitors were struggling to gain any momentum, while Tenby were keen to maintain their domination, and the home 3’s, spurred on by livewire fullback Jonny Morgan, caused Carmarthen all sorts of problems, and add to this a few bouts of back chats to referee Butler by disgruntled Carmarthen players, it ended with Tenby, from the next scrum, adding to their score when a classic nine pick-up from the base of the scrum to 10 and back to a looping around 9 saw Matthew Morgan drift over for try number three which was converted again by Toby Smith taking the score out to 21-0 with barely 15 minutes played.

The stern talking too under the posts during the conversion from captain Dai Evans had the desired effect on the visitors and from a series of scrums on the Tenby line, which had been achieved by an excellent mid field break by centre Robbie Thomas - which was the first break of the afternoon by the Carmarthen 3’s - the forwards went into pick up and go mode and Josh Watson crashed over for their first try, which was converted by Tom Gravel closing the scores to 21-7.

Eager to quickly obtain their fourth bonus point try, and to be the next side to score to regain the upper hand, Tenby stormed back into action with Toby Smith putting is a tremendous run from 22 to 22 only to get a bit carried away and ignore an unmarked support player outside him as he was stopped by a crunching tackle that took him into touch. Undeterred by this missed opportunity, the pressure was maintained with Luke Dedman stealing the ball at the lineout and quick hands amongst the backs ended with Mark Heywood feeding Jonny Morgan who crossed the white wash for the all important fourth try bonus score taking the score out to 26-7. Next it was wing Moritz Neumann who tested the Carmarthen defence and with Luke Hansford in the support the move threatened but the ball was lost at the breakdown but before Carmarthen could develop anything from the turn over hooker Joe Poole put in one of his typical dumper truck tackles to force a knock on and a scrum. Despite being thwarted yet again, Carmarthen attempted a rare three quarter move only for the ball to be dropped deep in the Tenby 22 by Wayne Rice and scooping the ball off the deck at pace, Ashley Sutton ran virtually the length of the field for a try, converted by Toby Smith, and with referee Butler blowing for half-time, oranges were taken with Tenby comfortably leading 33-7.

Whatever was said at half-time in the Tenby changing room was obviously heeded by the team and newcomer Alex Thomas, who had come on for injured skipper Luke Hansford, benefited from a superb break by Matthew Morgan to trot over for an unconverted try extending the lead to 38-7. Carmarthen then reverted to their tried and trusted pick and go tactic, but aware this was a favourite ploy the well-drilled Tenby defence held firm with some excellent tackling being put in frustrating the visitors attack time and time again. Breaking away from their line, slick handling by Ashley Sutton, Mark Heywood, Moritz Neumann and Barry Parsons released Jonny Morgan to cross for a try converted by Toby Smith stretching the lead to 45-7.

With the game comfortably won, Charlie Patching replaced Mike Davis and no sooner had he joined his team mates they were reduced to 13 with first newcomer to the game Alex Thomas being yellow carded (even though it was clearly an offence carried out by wing Connor Ennis -and as Thomas wore a red scrum cap it was obvious he was not involved), but off he went ….and no sooner had he reached the naughty step, when he was joined by Luke Dedman, so the next 10 minutes was going to be extremely challenging for 13 man Tenby.

What should have been 10 minutes amazingly stretched to 15 minutes as referee Butler totally forgot or overlooked the ruling as Carmarthen ran in three tries through James Newnian (2) and Calum Evans, all converted by Tom Gravel, rapidly closing the scores to 45-28. Eventually, being allowed back onto the park, Dedman and Thomas made little difference as Carmarthen were still in scoring mode and centre Robbie Thomas seemed to waltz through a very static Tenby defence for Carmarthen’s fifth try, which was again converted by Gravel, narrowing the lead to a worrying 45-35.

With Luke Hansford off the field injured, it was Jonny Morgan who was acting captain and his words to his fellow team mates standing under the posts as the conversion sailed over, left no doubts as to what was required for the final few minutes of the match and their cause was helped by referee Butler who dished out a yellow card to one of the Carmarthen players as play restarted. Sweeping into the Carmarthen half, it was impressive number eight Barry Parsons, who had earlier worked wonders coming away with the ball from a depleted scrum when down the 13 players, who sliced through the visitors defence and although tackled managed to slip the ball to fellow back row player Andrew Cooke who just failed to ground the ball, but from the resulting five metre scrum, which was won against the head, scrum half Matthew Morgan, reacting to the earlier plea from brother Jonny, who carved open the visitors defence to cross for last try of the afternoon, which was converted by Ashley Sutton, and an end of game score of 52-35

With 87 points scored and 13 tries shared between the two sides, it might come across to anybody reading this article, and not being at the match, as an exciting affair. In the main it was, but referee Butler tried very hard to intervene and grab as much attention for himself as he could. His funereal march from the centre of the field and back again to air his views on the comments being shouted about the over run in the time allotted to the two Tenby yellow cards, was his highlight. That aside, it was target one and two achieved ending in a five league point victory, which when matched against the other teams involved in the battle for promotion, was what was required and despite still placed fourth in the league, the end of season placing is still firmly in the hands of Tenby.

With dark horses Tycroes now heading up the table, having played 19 matches and on 70 points with relegated Haverfordwest their last match, Pontarddulais played 19 and 68 points, away to Tumble and finally Hendy, again played 19, with a visit to Heywood Lane tomorrow week which leaves Tenby on 64 points, but with three games to play, entertaining Llanybydder tomorrow, followed by Hendy (both at Heywood Lane) and a visit to Pontyberem, on Wednesday May 6, for the final league game.

Injuries and unavailabilities, with the extended season, will obviously play a part in the run in to the end of season but the coaching group will be more concerned with the total lack of discipline, which not for the first time this season, caused an unacceptable phase of the game today, with two players sin binned and an excellent score of 45-7 turning into a worrying 45-35, while Tenby were down to 13 men and although addressed, when back up to full compliment, it could be a real worry if it rears its head again in any of the final three games.

Tenby United would like to thank SCAFFOLD Ltd 2000 for their match sponsorship and St. Brides Spa Hotel for their ball sponsorship, as well as Heywood’s Butchers for man of the match sponsorship which deservedly went to scrum half Matthew Morgan

Scorers: Tenby tries - Andrew Cook, Ashley Sutton (2), Matthew Morgan (2), Johnny Morgan (2), Alex Thomas; conversions: Ashley Sutton (2), Toby Smith (4). Carmarthen Ath tries: Callum Evans, James Newnian (2), Josh Watson, Robbie Thomas; conversions: Tom Gravel (5).

Tenby: Jonny Morgan, Connor Ennis, Mark Heywood, Toby Smith, Moritz Neumann, Ashley Sutton, Matthew Morgan, Rob Clarke (Rob Luly), Joe Poole (Dan Allen), Ethan Morgan, Luke Dedman, Mike Davis (Charlie Patching), Andrew Cooke, Barry Parsons, Luke Hansford (Alex Thomas),

Carmarthen Ath: David Evans, Wayne Rice, Tom Gravel, Robbie Thomas, Josh Watson, Carwyn Evans , Rhodri Evans, James Newnian, Paul Gravel, Carwyn Francis, Llyr Owen, Steve Morse, Calum Evans, Dan Evans, Rhydian Walters. Reps: Aled Jones, Dafydd Bowen, Tom Masochist, Chris Howells, Scott Thomas.