Neath win but see their lead cut

PREMIERSHIP leaders Neath saw their slender advantage at the summit cut to a single point despite securing a 20-11 win at Pontypool on Friday night.

While Neath were winning at Pontypool Park, Carmarthen Quins were romping to a bonus-point victory at home against Tonmawr.

That extra point was enough to move Quins into second place with half-a-dozen points separating the top six clubs.

Llandovery, Llanelli and Cross Keys also picked up wins but all Aberavon could manage was a losing bonus point against Cardiff and Pontypridd in seventh lost to a resurgent Newport.

A penalty and try by Dai Langdon gave Neath a slender first-half advantage at Pontypool Park before further scores from scrum-half Tom James and wing Kevin James put them out of sight.

The hosts did recover with Dale Critchley touching down and Tom Hancock kicking two penalties but it was too little, too late for Pooler.

Dan Evans and Rhys Thomas each grabbed a brace of tries and Aled Thomas kicked all seven conversions as Tonmawr were put to the sword at Carmarthen Park.

Quins led 21-0 at the break with Evans and Thomas getting their first scores and Alex Pickersgill the third on the half hour. Four more tries followed in the second-half as the hosts just missed hitting the half-century.

Sion Bennett and James Davies got on the scoresheet with Thomas and Evans crossing for a second time to complete a 49-0 romp.

It was much closer at the Brewery Field where hosts Bridgend entertained Llandovery. By the end of the game it was the visiting Drovers who were celebrating a 17-3 success courtesy of tries from Mike Evans, Lee Rees and Owen Evans.

Llandovery are now just two points adrift of Neath and one behind Quins.

A late Howard Thomas try salvaged a losing bonus point for Aberavon on their otherwise fruitless trip to the Arms Park. Cardiff won 20-16 with a Rory Watts-Jones try in the first-half followed by a Shaun Powell touch down in the second.

Scott Sneddon and Rhys Patchell kicked Cardiff’s other points while Jamie Davies did likewise for Aberavon.

Aberavon’s slip-up allowed Llanelli to go level with them on 62 points after they edged past Bedwas 21-19 at Bridge Field. Justin James crossed twice for the Scarlets in a match which saw the hosts stage a stirring comeback in the second period.

They rallied from 14-9 down to lead 19-14 with a superb try finished off by No 8 Deri Mattravers but with fly-half Richard Powell missing an easy kick from virtually in front of the posts, you could sense it wasn’t going to be their day.

And that proved the case when James burrowed over and Diggy Bird slotted the conversion.

Pontypridd lost ground on the top six with a disappointing 24-15 loss at Newport. The Black and Ambers led 17-3 at half-time thanks to tries from Hywel Stoddart and Adam Frampton.

The away side fought back with late scores for Ryan Harford and Chris Clayton but by then the damage had already been done with a third Newport try from Alan Awcock.