LLANDOVERY ended their league campaign in disappointing fashion, going down to a lively Wanderers at a sun drenched Church Bank writes Huw S Thomas.

The Drovers finished plumb last in the Principality Premiership with just seven wins to their credit in 26 matches and only the protection offered by the WRU criteria has saved them from relegation to National One West.

Because of a commitment to play at the Heineken Kinsale Sevens this week-end, the Drovers were eight short of the side that had gained a memorable 20-18 Konica Minolta Cup final win over Cardiff the week before.

As hard their replacements competed, players of the quality of captain Arwel Davies, vice-captain and scrum-half Rob Walters and centres Mike Jones and Jon Lewis were sorely missed.

But there was no despondency in the Llandovery ranks and coach Iestyn Thomas was quick to praise the half dozen new or relatively new players.

"It was nice for our second XV to have a good number of backs and forwards compete well at a higher level and testimony to the good work of coach Geraint Williams."

"We expect a fair sprinkling of the second XV to be pressing for first team places places next year."

Llandovery led 6-3, two penalties by fly-half Howard Thomas pipping one by scrum-half Craig Warman before the outstanding runner of the day - centre Aled James - made a slashing break to fashion a converted try for lock Alex Luff.

After the break, Warman's second penalty made it 13-6 to the visitors and with the Drovers lineout fragile, things did not look good, The Wanderers pressed only for Llandovery to get a try against the run of play when a pick up at the scrum by No 8 Jon Mills eventually worked in Emrys Evans.

With Thomas's conversion the score was an unlikely 13-13 and although Llandovery tried their hearts out they could do nothing to prevent Steve Cullen racing over.

The Drovers were spent and all the crowd had left to do was cheer prop Andrew Jones off the field in his last game for the club after more than three decades.

Jones' final gesture was to parade the Konica Minolta Cup to the crowd and remind all those supporters of that glorious, momentous day-out at the Millennium Stadium.