Bourgoin V Neath
Sunday 4th November 2001 - 14.00 (GMT) Kick-Off

MATCH REPORT
© Alan Williams, Neath RFC

If this long awaited first win on the road in European competition, is the icing on the cake for Lyn Jones, then victory over Bristol in the next round of games will be the cherry on the top.

With this much deserved victory comes a golden financial opportunity. The next round of matches see English club Bristol visit the Gnoll in what should be the Clubs largest crowd for many years.

Coach Lyn Jones felt this was his team’s best performance of the season even eclipsing the earlier defeat of Munster. "We know there is still a lot of hard work ahead of us, if we are to achieve our goal of qualifying for the knockout stages of this prestigious tournament".

Outside half Lee Jarvis was on target with a huge dropped a goal deep in injury time to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Skipper Gareth Llewellyn said " We were awarded a penalty in our twenty two, I asked the Referee how long was left he responded with thirty seconds, I asked if there was enough time for a line out he replied one line out and the next time the ball goes dead its all over. Lee put in a huge touch finder to set up the line out, which was secured Andy Moore fed Lee and the rest as they say is now history".

The home team made most of the early running but the All Blacks defence held firm until the fifteenth minute when giant lock Sacha Fischer crashed over. Ten minutes later Neath responded with Alan Bateman setting up a try for Tongan Torpedo Dave Tiueti, Lee Jarvis was on target with the conversion attempt. Shortly after Jarvis punished an indiscretion by the home team with a successful penalty.

Two minutes before half time Full back Gareth Morris was set free by a superb inside pass by Lee Jarvis to race past four defenders from forty yards, Jarvis added the extra points for the conversion. The Frenchmen responded with a penalty by outside half Benjamin Boyet.

The French continued their high speed attacks and finally scored a second try by wing Anthony Forrest, which was converted by Benjamin Boyet.

The game then reached its grandstand finale with Bourgoin steeling the lead with a try by centre David Janin, converted by Benjamin Boyet. Boyet was also on target with a penalty

Cometh the hour cometh the man and Lee Jarvis scored a monstrous drop goal deep into injury time to give his Club a realistic chance of reaching the knock out stages of a the Parker Pen European Shield for the first time.