AMMAN United returned from Cae Carwyn James with a deserved 21-8 victory in this WRU Bowl fixture after an entertaining encounter.

Following some early sparring, it was the visitors who opened the scoring with a try out of the blue when an attempted clearance was charged down by flanker Dan Jones who followed up to touch down; outside half Tom Caddell converted.

Cefn had their moments early on as lock Jackson Burnell won some good lineout possession and halfback duo Morgan Davies and Richard Watts got their backline moving well. Full back Lee Watkin and forwards Dion Roberts, Danny Jones and Carwyn Evans got through some good work also.

After United then got themselves into a defensive tangle, they were caught offside, and Richard Watts punished them with the penalty.

Amman again in trying to overplay from deep were then caught out as Caddell’s attempted long pass was intercepted and wing Jay Willingham raced in, beating the cover defence to score.

Centre Chris Moore’s run almost brought more reward for the hosts, but Amman defended well, and hit back in the very next attack.

Lock Craig Ratcliffe’s lineout ball secured, the resulting rolling maul proved too much for Cefn and number eight Tom Thorneycroft charged over for the try; and Caddell added a superb touchline conversion to make the score 14-8 to the visitors.

Amman’s back row of Dan Jones, Alun Lewis and Tom Thorneygroft were working well as an unit, and the pack almost forced another try on half-time from another rolling maul, but Cefn managed to hold the ball up to give hope for the second half.

The home side lost influential fly half Richard Watts early in the second half to injury, and it soon got much worse when centre Chris Moore received a yellow card soon after.

Amman tried to exploit the numbers, scrum half Joel Foster punching holes in the home defence, and from the next phase, wing Jac Evans was through under posts, but was blatantly held back as he was going to score.

The offender Morgan Davies also saw yellow and Cefneithin were down to 13 men; the most obvious penalty-try you will ever see made it a more comfortable 21-8 to the Reds.

Veteran Gavin Lewis came on for Amman, and he was soon in the thick of it, rolling back the years with a trademark scything midfield break, which almost put in flanker Alun Lewis for another score.

  • Amman welcome Tumble to Cwmamman Park on Saturday, the Magpies having beaten United in the return fixture a few weeks ago.