Llandybie travelled to local rivals Penygroes still without a number of injured players and found Penygroes struggling for numbers with a bare fifteen, but all seasoned players.
The hosts attacked from the first whistle and scored a couple of early tries with Llandybie not up to speed and a few weak tackles. From another foray flyhalf Iestyn Richards put in a relieving kick, but the wet conditions resulted in a lot of dropped passes and loose play, however Greg Thompson and Owain Rees were making their presence felt in the loose.
Fielding a long kick through Richards made a good run down the left wing, kicking ahead and the hosts were penalised for holding on in the tackle. Llandybie captain Jordan Tommason took a quick tap to force his way over for a try converted by Richards. Kieran Williams made good ground from the unaccustomed roll in centre and tackled well with his partner Josh Watkins, who also put in some nice chip kicks over the defence. Penygroes kept moving forward, were quick in the loose making a number of turnovers and from a lineout set up a drive to score again. Richards replied with a penalty and at half time the hosts led 15 – 10.
Ethan Walters, Aaron Ingram Jones and Connor Butler came on for Llandybie and whatever was said by Llandybie coaches seemed to work as Llandybie threw the ball wide from the first lineout with full back Wayne Williams into the line to run clear from halfway to score a good try to tie the scores. The hosts missed two kickable penalties, but Richards kicked another to put the visitors into the lead for the first time.
From the restart the ball was moved down the short side to Aaron Ingram Jones who got clear finding Ioan Rees on his shoulder to run in for a try converted by Richards to lead by 10 points. Llandybie threw a silly pass soon after to give the hosts a gifted try to move within five points. Llandybie had another penalty for a high tackle and Tommason elected to go for goal to put them two scores clear. A good decision as it worked out later.
A magical run from Wayne Williams coming into centre and chipping over an advancing defender followed by a chip over the full back and a favourable bounce would have put him in for a try, but that didn’t happen, but lovely skill. Nerves started to jangle when the hosts scored a converted try to move within a point. With Penygroes getting on top Josh Watkins made a tremendous tackle on the second row yielding a penalty to the visitors. A huge clearance from Richards with Ingram Jones pulling the full back into touch.
A line out and scrum later Tommason picked up going blind side with the ball dislodged backwards, scrum half Rhys Jones picked up to dive over and Richards converted from the touchline to lead 35 – 27. Penygroes did not give up, now with fourteen men put in another attack. Llandybie stripped the ball and gave it straight back with a loose pass for the final converted try of the day. Llandybie win by a single point 35 - 34. Richards’ boot won this match for Llandybie kicking four conversions and two penalties, Penygroes on the other hand missed four conversions and two penalties. Next week Llandybie are away to Rhymney in the Cup.
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