Title races hot up in One East and One West, while One North season draws to a close

One West leaders Tondu missed the chance to seal the title with defeat to Kidwelly at Pandy Park, and must now look on nervously as Cwmllynfell complete their league campaign.

The Waterwheelers knew a win would seal the division crown, but they were edged out 23-22 by a dogged Kidwelly side.

The Black and Ambers crossed twice through Dave Lewis and Steff Evans. Fly-half Stuart Morris added a conversion and two penalties, while Gareth Rees also kicked a conversion and a penalty to spoil the Tondu party.

Tondu end the season on 85 points after claiming a losing bonus point thanks to a penalty try, a Matthew Vaughan touchdown, Matthew Phillips going over and six points from the boot of Gareth Powell.

They are left biting their nails, as they anxiously wait on Cwmllynfell, who currently sit 12 points behind but have three games left to play and with a string of victories could cruelly wrestle the title out of their hands.

The Swansea Valley side, unaware their fate was back in their own hands, secured a 116-25 demolition of Aberavon Quins that will give them real confidence.

The highfliers crossed 18 times in all with Trystan Lewis (four), Owen James (four), Craig Kelly (four), Aled Wilkins (three), Craig Jones, Gareth Drewson and Daniel Jones the heroes.

Carmarthen Athletic ended their campaign on a high with a 25-22 home success over Glynneath to give their supporters something positive to mull over during the summer break.

Their scrum half Scott Maynard starred for the hosts claiming 17 of his side’s points via two tries, two conversions and a penalty, while Luke Marshall also crossed and jack Maynard added another penalty.

Glynneath came away with two bonus points with touchdowns from Josh Jones, Ryan Llewellyn, Dale Newell and Rhodri Cole, the latter also kicking a conversion.

Meanwhile, relegation threatened Loughor failed to help their battle for survival as they went down 34-25 to Waunarlwydd.

The Green and Blacks forced five touchdowns through Jordan Clayfield, Ben James, Dan Fox, Andrew Rees-Spowart and Lee Brookes. Loughor, playing in front of their own fans, scored three tries of their own through Jonathan Phillips (two) and Andrew Bamfield.

Elsewhere, Kenfig Hill claimed an entertaining 45-31 triumph at Ammanford in an 11-try thriller that saw both sides secure try scoring bonus points.

The Mules outscored their rivals six tries to five; Mark Fitzgerald bagging a superb hat-trick with Mathew Davies, Sean Burnell and Lewis David also going over. Nicky Giles kicked the remaining points.

Gary Stephens, Iwan Mainwaring, Jake Baker, Rhydian Morris and Jake Simms were the five to dive over for the hosts.

RGC 1404 remain eight points clear of Ystrad Rhondda at the top of One East after both sides delivered impressive wins - The North Walians hammering Gilfach Goch 57-18 and the Rhondda club triumphing 35-18 at Rhydyfelin.

To keep the gap up, RGC put nine tries past the mid-table outfit, who were simply powerless to resist. Outside centre Harry Evans and winger Richard Hopkins both grabbed themselves a brace of tries, with scrum half Afon Bagshaw, Rhodri Carlton-Jones, flanker Andrew Williams, Iolo Evans and full back Llywarch Ap Myrddin also crossing the whitewash. Carlton-Jones booted six conversions to hammer home their authority.

Ystrad weren’t as free-scoring, but still posted an impressive result. They secured a try scoring bonus point as Ryan Howells (twice), Bleddyn Davies and David Gratton dived over, with Rhys Truelove converting three of those and kicking three penalties for a personal haul of 15 points.

The hosts got three tries through Dylan Hughes, Mark Jones and Liam Watton, with Gavin Close converting one of them, but it wasn;t enough to stop their high-flying visitors taking the spoils.

At the bottom, Mountain Ash gave their survival hopes a huge boost as they just about overcame relegation rivals Merthyr 28-22, climbing out of the relegation zone above their vanquished foes with just three games remaining.

Keith Anderson, Matthew Jones, Ross Davies and Craig Evans secured their side a bonus point, as Matthew Parfitt converted one of the scores and Dean Gunter kicked two penalties for the hosts.

Merthyr do, though, have one game in hand.

The day’s other game saw third-placed Penallta score seven tries in a one-sided 47-5 demolition of Ynysybwl.

Aron Humphries crosses for his second of the afternoon

Photo courtesy of Penallta RFC

Andre Soroko scored a hat-trick, with Aron Humphries adding a brace of tries to the score, along with scrum half Andrew John. Gareth Edwards and Jonny Wright also touched down, with Bleddyn Corns kicking three conversions.

The One North season was completed yesterday, with Ruthin beating Bro Ffestiniog 24-12 to climb above Bala in to third in the final standings.

Harry Morgan, Gethin Hughes and Ben Syme scored their touchdowns, with Shay Owen converting them all and adding a penalty to round off their campaign with a victory.

Dewi and Huw James scored Bro’s tries, with Huw adding a conversion.