Monday, 15 April 2013

Swalec Leagues Round-up

A fantastic second half surge kept Rhiwbina’s promotion hopes very much alive in Two East as they fought hard to overcome Pill Harriers 31-14.

They scored straight from the kick-off, the forwards making ground before the ball went through the three-quarters’ hands to Gareth McCarthy. He freed Tom Slocombe to score in the corner.

They crossed again when Brett Chatwin caught a cross-field Pill kick and made a break to put McCarthy in, Richard Saltmarsh landing the conversion.

Having already kicked two penalties, Pill touched down themselves when the forwards took a catch and drive over the whitewash, with David Tovey getting the final touch.

They were on the scoreboard again just before half-time and took the lead when Bradley Williams slotted another penalty over.

After some changes at the break, The Squirrels scored their third try to go back in front when Jake Chilcott ran from deep and fed Josh Davies, who made a weaving run of his own before handing over to Chatwin to finish the move off.  

Pill then had a man dismissed, and the hosts pressed hard and added a bonus point try through McCarthy and a fifth from Saltmarsh, and he converted both to seal the win.

Llantrisant beat Tylorstown 24-15 to keep their promotion hopes intact, while Senghenydd beat Nelson 26-10 in the battle of the other two promotion contenders at The Welfare Ground.

Builth Wells extended their lead at the top of Two West to nine points with a 27-6 win over third-placed Maesteg Quins, as second-placed Seven Sisters were beaten 20-17 by Maesteg at Llynfi Road.

Gethin Davies touched down twice for Builth, with Rob Lloyd having a busy day as he grabbed another, converted all three, kicked a penalty and also spent time in the sin bin for a tackle in the air.

Corey Butler was the Maesteg hero against Seven Sisters, kicking five penalties to add to Ben Clarke’s try.

Amman United were crowned champions of Three West with a 57-3 thrashing of Llanelli Wanderers. Dean Williams crossed the whitewash three times, while Joel Foster did so twice and Rhys Thomas, Sean Mangan, Guy Matthews and Gavin Lewis also scored, the party beginning as soon as the final whistle was blown.

Second-placed Newcastle Emlyn beat third-placed Tenby United 20-15 at Dol Wiber, but Sean Lennard, Gethin Green and Dan Davis tries were in vein as far as the title race is concerned.

With Abertillery not playing, Newport HSOB cut the gap on the Three East leaders to nine points thanks to a 24-3 win over relegation-threatened Brynmawr.

They secured a bonus point victory thanks to tries from Rhys Williams, Phil Handley, Rhys Cook and a penalty try.

With Abercarn and Brynmawr losing at the bottom end of the table, Croesyceiliog did their own survival chances the world of good with an 18-13 win over Abergavenny. Both sides grabbed two tries, the home team’s coming from Mike Hardy and Lee Williams, with Abergavenny replying through Frank James and Rhodri Webster.

Trebanos won the battle of the top two in Three South West, but the leaders only just overcame title challengers Ystalyfera 12-11 to move 22 points clear at the top. The bonus point defeat allowed the visitors to climb above Mumbles in to second as the Swansea-based team’s game with Aberavon Green Stars was postponed.

The race for the Three North title still refuses to give anything away, as the top three all won and remain within a point of each other.

Rhosllanerchrugog still sit a point ahead of Wrexham and Newtown, and gave their rivals something to think about with an 11-try, 71-3 thrashing of lowly Benllech. Ethan Bishop top-scored with four of them, while captain Dewi Richards added two more and there were single scores for Alun Richards, Mike Evans, Ritchie Jones, Matt Whiteley and Gareth Ireland, who also converted eight of them for a personal haul of 21 points.

Wrexham kept up the chase with a 36-17 win at Bangor, while Newtown came away from Porthmadog with a six-try, 42-16 win.

Menai Bridge also won their mid-table clash with Flint by a big score – 49-5. They ran in nine tries through Jac Owen, Geraint Williams, James Roberts (two), Dan Collins, Leon Owen (two) and Sam Dignam (two).

Pontyclun kept the Three South East title race alive as they beat top side Dowlais 10-3 at Dowlais Top. The only try of the match went to Daniel McClaggen, with Rhys Morgan converting it and adding a penalty. The win cuts Dowlais’ lead to nine points.

St Peters kept up with Pontyclun in third, both level on 69 points, as they beat Cardiff Quins 36-10.

In Four East, Oakdale kept up the pressure on the top two with a 44-6 thrashing of Chepstow, while in Four South East, Barry missed the chance to climb to the top of the table after going down 5-7 at home in a low-scoring local derby with Llantwit Major.

Tycroes climbed above Llanybydder to the top of Four West thanks to a 27-7 bonus point win over Nantgaredig. Stuart Mander, Tristan Morgan, Dean Bronham and a penalty try earned the point they needed to go top, as Llanybydder had to work hard for a 13-6 win at bottom side Neyland.

In Four South West, Nantyfyllon battered lowly Birchgrove 66-0 as they crossed over for nine tries. Nigel Jones scored 31 of those points in a memorable day for him, grabbing two tries, converting nine and kicking a penalty.

Richard Bull also scored a brace, while Andrew John, Alyn Brace, Cory Harris, Ryan Osgood and Dean Edwards also striking.

Cwmtwrch climbed to the top of Five South West thanks to a 27-19 win over Glais as Dale Jones ran in a brace of tries, while Penybanc lost 18-14 at home to Cwmgors. At the bottom, Llangadog kept up their survival hopes with a 21-20 victory by the narrowest of margins over the team above them, Llandybie.

The result of the day went to Cefn Coed as they obliterated luckless Pontllanfraith 102-3 in Five South East. Matthew Rolls notched four tries, while Rhys Davies and Sam George both grabbed hat-tricks. There were braces for Matthew Bow and Tim Phillips, and Perry Lander, Lewis Morgan and Shaun Deery also dived over. Bow converted seven of them, and also kicked a penalty.

Leaders St Josephs also won 48-0 at St Albans, while in Five South Central, Ogmore Vale thrashed Blaengarw 85-0.

James Headley grabbed two tries as Five West leaders Gowerton beat Penygroes 41-0, while New Dock Stars in second won by the same scoreline over Pontyates.

Cambrian Welfare and Treharris continue to fight it out of the top of Six South Central, with the former’s 48-0 win over Cefn Fforest and the latter’s 56-0 thrashing of Tongwynlais meaning there is still only a point between the two.

Finally in Division Seven, Cathays failed to stretch their lead over Whitchurch at the top as they lost 18-14 at Aberbeeg.

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