Neath 25 Cardiff 14
Friday 24th August. Kick-Off 7-00pm
(Celtic League / Welsh Scottish League Fixture).

MATCH REPORT
© Alan Williams, Neath RFC

The game was just two minutes old when outside half Lee Jarvis opened his Gnoll scoring account with a superbly taken 30 metre drop goal. Three Minutes later Jarvis was on target with a penalty after Rob Appleyard late tackled the outside half. The visitors struck back with a well taken try by Kiwi wing Craig Hudson, outside half Nicky Robinson added the extra points for the conversion.

Neath outside half Lee Jarvis restored the lead (which they were never to lose) with another successful penalty following a Cardiff defender failing to release the ball.

Wing Gareth Morris showed his physical strength with a big hit on Hudson following a kick up field by Jarvis. The All Black forwards gathered the loose ball for skipper Gareth Llewellyn to drive play to several yards outside the visitors twenty-two, fellow second row Steve Martin fed Lee Jarvis, the ball was pushed wide to full back Shaun Connor who wriggled out of a double tackle from Craig Quinnell and Jamie Robinson to race twenty yards and score his first try in the Black jersey of Neath. Jarvis was successful with the conversion attempt.

The second half was only five minutes old when Neath's new hero Jarvis emulated a former Neath Legend Paul Thorburn and punished the visitors with a penalty kick from three metres inside his own half.

Jarvis further punished his former club by adding two further penalties, this took the outside half's total for the evening to twenty points. Cardiff scored the final points of the match, outside half Robinson converting a close range try by centre Matt Allen.

Centre Allan Bateman returning to play his 48th match in the Black shirt, his 46th was eleven years previous, made several incisive breaks throughout the evening, not least when setting centre partner James Storey away for what looked a certain try only for a forward pass to stop play. Brett Sinkinson showed the watching Graham Henry that he is back to his best with a superb display of tackling, while the Neath front row also showed the Wales coach what they are capable of with a performance which destroyed the Cardiff scrum.

Patron's Association Man of the Match
Neath Lee Jarvis
Cardiff Greg Kacala