Ammanford RFC managed to get their third win of the season after defeating Maesteg Quins in a game they dominated for large periods, but one or two poor game management decisions kept the visitors in the game until the very end.

The home side started well from a clean take in the lineout by flanker Dominic Jones which allowed scrum half and skipper Alex Davies to make a fine break linking with Marco Dallavalle, the powerful number eight carried all before him. A quick ruck was moved wide for winger Frazer Gregory to dive over. Outside half Ryan Williams added the two points.

The referee was very pedantic with his high tackle line and Ammanford were caught out on many occasions. This allowed Quins into the game through two penalties making the score 7 – 6.

Ammanford scored some memorable tries on this fine Saturday and the next was one of those. From a driving line, taken nicely by Jed Anthoy, not only retaining the ball but all of a sudden, he popped out on the Quins side and ran 40m to the line leaving the Quins backs in his wake. Williams added the conversion, he also put over a penalty when Quins were caught with a high tackle call. Ammanford’s first error, a missed kick to touch allowed the Quins to counter and win a penalty.

The next try was one of wing Liam Smith’s three. Ammanford’s adventurous rugby this time paid off. Running from a lineout on their own 5m the ball went along the line to wing Smith who firstly went around his man, stepped inside and fended the full back off, changed hands and fended off the covering wing before diving over. Williams took the lead out to 24-9.

With the half coming to an end the referee decided Jake Baker was tackling too high and yellow carded him. With the advantage in the scrum, Maesteg Quins made the home side pay from a 5m scrum their scrum half dived over. As a result the score at the half was 24 - 16.

The home side started the second half like they started the first, with a try. Moving the ball well Ammanford set a ruck in midfield. As the ball came out wing Smith looped and came up unseen on Williams outside shoulder, the pop pass put Smith through the hole and proceeded to show the defence a clean pair of heels. The kick extended the lead to 31 – 16 but Ammanford allowed the Quins back in when a penalty from another high tackle was kicked into the corner. The Quins scored from the driving lineout.

Some fluent rugby saw wing Gregory beat his man and inside pass allowed the home side to set up shop on the visitors line, ball was moved wide for Smith to get his third and easiest try 38 – 23.

Maesteg Quins came back hard and when Ammanford’s decision the run rather than a clearance kick cost the home side not only the ball but a player through a yellow card. Quins took their chance and from a scrum squeezed their winger into the corner a fine touchline conversion reduced the lead to 38 – 30. Home fans relaxed a little when Williams put over a penalty and were even happier when another smooth move won Ammanford another penalty.

With time running out and the game lost, the Quins showed their never give up attitude and with the last move of the game a delicate chip saw the ball pop up and poor wing Gregory had no chance against the tall Quins second row.

Final score Ammanford RFC 44 – 35 Maesteg Quins.