A cold north-west breeze welcomed Otters supporters back to the Lewis Lloyd Ground on Saturday after a long lay-off due to the Autumn International series.

As if to make up for lost time, a significant number of ball sponsors chose to enjoy the pre-match hospitality along with the two match sponsors in a clubhouse alight with Christmas decorations.

On the field of play they were given a real rugby treat, with the Otters starting off with energy and threequarter movements spread wide with crisp passing, and the students as ever full of energy and spirit and in determined mood.

Missing from the Otters’ line-up was captain Alex Jenkins, who had a back injury. On the bench was Nick Gale, who was returning after a long lay-off.

The Otters were keen to avoid the students getting a double over them, having lost the away fixture 32-15.

With both teams attempting to play a fast and open game, it was the Otters who were first to score with an excellent try by wing Liam Hutchings, who seemed on fire with his determined and elusive running. The try, on six minutes, started with Ryan Banner jumping high at the linout and feeding scrum-half Rhys Lane quickly. The Otters, playing away from the clubhouse, moved the ball left, reaching outside centre Jack Price, who switched it back inside and with crisp passing and good hands it reached Liam Hutchings in midfield and he proceeded to weave at speed through the opposing students, to run clear near the stand side and sprint to touch down near the corner.

It was a great try and Ianto Griffiths, kicking from an acute angle, put the conversion high and handsome through the middle of the posts. This was just the start the rugby-starved home fans were looking for!

Fired up by the try, the Otters were quick to attack again, but another really promising movement went astray when the final pass was too far in front of Hutchings and ended up in touch.

At this poin, the referee awarded the first scrum of the game, with Cardiff Met having the put in. The Otters scrum was firm, but despite the applied pressure, the students heeled and commenced a kicking duel. It was clear they had practised this on the training field, with fast follow-ups and well-organised rucks.

From a ruck stand side, they quickly moved the ball across the pitch and managed to disrupt the Otters’ defence, with centre Chris Lewis able to sprint through for their first try on 13 minutes. Fly-half George Simpson had no difficulty in converting, bringing the scores level.

Within minutes, the opposition replaced Chris Lewis with Alex Fenton.

For a while, there was stalemate, with both teams attacking whenever possession was gained, but both defences held firm. Temporary captain Richard Rees was prominent at number eight for the Otters.

Then on 20 minutes the students were penalised on their 40-metre mark, up came Ianto Griffiths from fullback and coolly produced a fine kick, again sending the ball high through the posts to give the Otters a 10-7 lead.

This gave them further impetus, but at the breakdown the students were resolute.

On 28 minutes, the Otters attempted to set up yet another attack, but the pass from the fly-half was intercepted and away went winger Corey Wayne, who broke through the Narberth attacking line to give the students an easy try, which George Simpson had no difficulty in converting.

The visitors’ threequarters coach was heard to shout good line speed, but the Otters’ supporters felt the students were getting the rub of the green lying on or near to offside. This feeling continued with various attacking and defending issues as far as the home supporters were concerned and their ire was rising. This was further fed when what looked like an obvious student forward pass went unnoticed, resulting in another Cardiff Met try, just on half-time, when centre Alex Fenton kicked ahead and was adjudged to have scored, with Rhys Lane also diving over with the scorer. George Simpson again had no difficulty converting, giving Cardiff Met a 19-10 lead at the break.

There were some really positive aspects to Narberth’s attacking play and the pack played its part, but there was disappointment that the usual strong defence had been opened and mistakes crept into the threequarters, either dropping the ball or knocking-on. The second half was going to need a real turnaround if the Otters were going to gain a win.

During the half-time interval there was a collection made by the Narberth branch of the RNLI.

Those reading the programme noted that the Cardiff Met run seven teams and also a Youth team. Clearly they have many players at their disposal.

When the Narberth players appeared for the second half the threequarters had been reorganised. It seems Rhys Lane, who had been having a really good game, was injured and had to be replaced. The coaches brought on the experienced Nick Gale at fullback, with Ianto Griffiths moving to fly-half and Jonathan Rogers, as the utility player, moving to scrum-half.

It took the Otters a while to settle and the sparkle of the early part of the first half had disappeared. A further change was made when the hard-working prop Bradley Davies was replaced on 52 minutes by Rhys Davies.

The Otters coaches were urging their players to up their game and within five minutes centre Jack Price, in typical forceful style, touched down for a try converted by Ianto Griffiths. There had been quite a number of up-and-under kicks and, from one of these, the Otters gathered and moved forward efficiently towards the stand side with an effective movement. When a breakdown occurred, a ruck formed and from the base, Price seized his opportunity to gather and force his way through the defence, touching down beyond the posts.

Three minutes later, the Otters scored again. In the period between the tries there had been a kicking duel, much to the exasperation of the Otters’ coaches, but the players responded by moving forward and when tackled, won the ruck, allowing Jonathan Rogers to kick ahead. A Cardiff Met player dropped on the ball, but failed to hold on, enabling winger Keiron Jones to chase and touch down. With Ianto Griffiths converting, it put Narberth 24 -19 in the lead.

Further substitutions were made, with Jack Parkinson replacing Keiron Jones and Rhodri Owen replacing stalwart Dan Smith in the middle of the front row of the scrum.

The students responded and gained a lineout via a penalty kick near to the clubhouse corner, but regaining possession, Jonathan Rogers put in a huge kick, pinning the students back to near halfway.

Ryan Banner, who had given sterling effort, was replaced by the fresh legs of Dewi Williams.

Further pressure came from the Otters moving to near the line on the clubhouse side. This was repelled and play remained in the students half, but they infringed on the 40-metre line, with the referee awarding a penalty. Once again, with his eyes focused on the ball and then the posts, Ianto Griffiths lined up the kick and slotted it perfectly between the uprights to put the Otters 27-19 ahead, which meant the students would require at least a converted try and a further score to win.

From the restart, the Otters attacked and, with their spirits high, forced the students back into the top corner. It seemed for a few moments that the Otters’ blood had rushed to their heads as they attempted time and again to force their way over.

Eventually, on 72 minutes, young Rhodri Owen gained possession and raced between the sticks for a bonus point try. Once again Ianto Griffiths added the extras.

The students came back, but failed to break down the jubilant Otters and, whilst near the line, they ran out of time, with the referee blowing the whistle with the final score standing at 34-19.

It was a really exciting game for the home supporters, who were delighted to see Narberth gain five Championship league points as a result of their victory.

Later, in a clubhouse buzzing with high spirits, it was announced that Ianto Griffiths was the match sponsors’ man-of-the-match.

Head coach Sean Gale commented: “I was really pleased with the win. The first half was a little disappointing after a good start, and we let in some soft tries. However, the first try by Liam Hutchings was outstanding. Second half we introduced more physicality into our game and kept knocking them back, so they could not attack.

“Liam Hutchings was in tremendous form and deserved man-of-the-match, but lost out to Ianto Griffiths. Sean Jenkins in the back row was excellent. I was pleased to see injured players back on the field, Sean Jenkins, Tom Slater, Nick Gale. The whole back row went well, Rhodri Owen at hooker did well when he came on as a substitute. There was no Alex Jenkins, but we only lost one lineout.

“This win has put us in an excellent place and next we have another home game against Beddau, followed by an away game against Newcastle Emlyn after Christmas. We have some hard matches in January. As coaches we have to keep moving on and we will not accept mediocrity.”

Narberth fielded: Ianto Griffiths (Nick Gale), Liam Hutchings, Jack Price, Paul Davies, Keiron Jones (Jack Parkinson, Jonathan Rogers (Ianto Griffiths), Rhys Lane (Jonathan Rogers), Bradley Davies (Rhys Davies), Dan Smith (Rhodri Owens), Tom Slater, Jake Simm, Ryan Banner (Dewi Williams), Tom Powell, Sean Jenkins, Richard Rees.

The match sponsors were the Farmers Arms, Narberth, in the Dewi Griffiths Plant Hire Balcony Suite, and the Templeton Supporters in the Folly Farm Otters Holt.

Ball sponsors were Clynderwen Boys, Former Players Association, Autumn Leaves of Cresselly, Dai Llewellyn of Cotland 70th birthday celebration, John Mathias and Friends, FDS