At last a league game played in spring-like sunshine. The Swansea Valley club ground lies on the valley floor and initially looks flat, but with a downward slope at the south end.

Trebanos won the toss and chose to use the slope second half. The Otters had both Rhys Lane and Liam Hutchings still recovering from injuries and were replaced by Lewys Gibby and Keiran Griffiths.

In their earlier meeting at Narberth, the Otters were running away with the game at 29-nil, but a number of substitutions early in the second half disrupted the momentum and Trebanos took advantage to claw their way back into it and lose by only 29-27.

The Otters kicked off and literally for almost 10 minutes continuously attacked the Trebanos line, but their defence remained firm. The Otters’ attack looked predictable, seemingly unable to vary their tactics.

When Trebanos entered the field, they looked a youthful squad and on a relatively firm ground have a reputation of high scoring games.

The Otters had a penalty which gave them a lineout close to the homesters’ line. Unfortunately, they failed to take advantage, enabling Trebanos to break out.

The Otters regained the ball at the breakdown, but their passing movement broke down and the Trebanos defensive line speed regained them the ball which they kicked into the Otters’ 22. Unfortunately, Ianto Griffiths, who safely gathered the ball, was adjudged to have kicked clear from outside the 22. This gave Trebanos an easy penalty kick, which fullback Tom Dwe converted into three points and literally for the first time the home side had managed to get near the Otters’ 22.

Two minutes later, they went 10 points ahead with a try scored by centre Steff Lewis, converted by Tom Dwe.

From the restart, the Otters attacked the Trebanos line. The Trebanos line speed in defence seemed to border offside, but snuffed the Otters attacking threat.

Trebanos broke out of the situation, but offended at the breakdown. Jonathan Rogers kicked to the corner, with the Otters’ pack providing good ball, which set up a promising movement, but then lost control at the breakdown, enabling Trebanos to kick their way out of trouble with a long kick into the Otters’ half.

Alex Jenkins gained clean ball at the lineout, but at the third phased ruck they lost possession, enabling Trebanos to kick to the corner flag. Well-placed flanker Tom Powell gathered the ball and put in an important clearing kick to touch.

Alex Jenkins outjumped Trebanos on their lineout, feeding Lewys Gibby and enabling Jonathan Rogers to put a high kick into the opposition half, which they misfielded. Trebanos then infringed at the subsequent scrum, enabling Nick Gale to score three points with his penalty kick for the Otters on 29 minutes.

Three minutes later, prop Alan Dew powered his way over for an unconverted Trebanos try. This came from a defensive error, much to the disappointment of Otters’ coaches and supporters.

The Otters attacked from the restart, but the initiative ended with the final pass being knocked-on.

On 38 minutes, the Otters were attacking when their fly-half threw a long pass which speedy centre Steff Lewis intercepted and sped clear for a 60-metre race to the line to score and for Tom Dwe to convert.

Again the Otters attacked and moved upfield via a series of rucks to pressurise the Trebanos line, before their flanker Jack Perkins infringed.

The Otters set to with their scrum and advanced towards the try line, but an infringement by Trebanos gave the visitors a penalty try, with the referee then blowing up for half-time having issued Trebanos with two yellow cards.

The score at half-time was 22-10.

Trebanos started the second half with only 13 men and this seemed to be an opportunity for the Otters to even up the score. However, Trebanos decided to use the touchline and gaining the ball in the 22 from an Otters’ lineout, then used the rolling maul, with the sloping ground adding to their effort. The Otters cleared the situation, but were then penalised at the breakdown.

Trebanos kicked long to the bottom corner and immediately created another rolling maul, with the ball eventually being released and quickly moved across to wing Llyr Davies, who raced through a gap to score their unconverted bonus point try.

The Otters made change,s bringing on Dan Smith and Tom Kaijaks in the front row.

Then six minutes into the half, second row Jake Simm was yellow-carded for interfering with a Trebanos jumper at the lineout. The player would have won an Oscar for his dramatic fall to the ground!

Shortly afterwards, the Otters were awarded a penalty, which Nick Gale was able to kick long, placing the ball well into the opposition half. Then from the lineout, Alex Jenkins obtained clean possession and set in motion a rolling maul which moved forward and over the line for Dan Smith to touch down near the corner flag for an unconverted try on 49 minutes.

Then on 53 minutes, Trebanos increased their lead when the on-form centre Steff Lewis found a gap and raced through to score a try, again converted by the boot of Tom Dwe.

The Otters made further changes, this time in the threequarters. Moritz Neumann replaced Keiron Jones and James Stephenson replaced Jonathan Rogers at fly-half.

Play continued with both teams competing for the ball, but when Trebanos were penalised, Nick Gale was able to kick out of hand to get near the corner. Again from the lineout, the Otters set up the rolling maul and once again Dan Smith was able to touch down for an unconverted try.

The score was now 34-20 and with the Otters looking threatening with their powerful scrum, a turn in fortune seemed likely.

The Otters responded immediately and moved up field with Moritz Neumann being forced into touch two metres from the try line. Trebanos were able to regain the ball and move away, but again winning the ball, the Otters applied more pressure.

From a scrum, they forced the opposition back to their five-metre line, but on releasing the ball, they failed to cross the line.

However, the referee awarded them a penalty close to the five-metre line. Captain Alex Jenkins elected to have a scrum and again the Otters pack heaved forward, but Trebanos somehow managed to disrupt the scrum and cleared the ball upfield.

Time was running out now and on 74 minutes the Otters decided to run the ball upfield, only for a badly aligned pass behind the centres to be seized on by the ever-eager Trebanos captain, Rhys Thomas, who sped through for unconverted try, making the final score 39-20.

On paper, it looks a convincing win for Trebanos, but the Otters could easily have gained a bonus point try and a losing point had Lady Luck been on their side. Unfortunately, they were made to pay for so many handling errors and the score could easily have been reversed first half had they played with more creativity.

Trebanos had many in form players Their number seven Jack Perkins, of short stature, was a continual nuisance. He has been well coached by his master, Justin Tipperic.

Later, Otters’ head coach Sean Gale commented: “Disappointing, we lost our concentration on times, we were good enough to win the game. We came back into the game very well, but we are missing four or five senior players and it is showing.

“Trebanos defended well and they are a good side. On a drying ground they are a threat. The boys tried hard, but lack experience. It was a fantastic game for the neutral spectator. Their last try came from our forced pass.

“Ryan Rees was a huge positive in the scrum. We are developing well, young Rhodri Owens started again. Both he and Ryan Rees were part of the pack when we pushed them over the line. Lewys Gibby also had a good game at scrum-half. Bradley Davies and Richard Rees were the best carriers on the day for us.”

Narberth fielded: Ianto Griffiths, Nick Gale, Keiran Jones (Moritz Neumann), Paul Davies, Keiran Griffiths, Jonathan Rogers (James Stephenson), Lewis Gibby, Bradley Davies, Rhodri Owens (Dan Smith), Ryan Rees (Tom Kaijacks), Jake Simm, Alex Jenkins (capt), Richard Rees, Tom Powell, Steffan Phillips.