Neath V Cwmllynfell
Saturday 10th December 2005, 2.30pm KO.

MATCH REPORT (Al Black)

NEATH  52  CWMLLYNFELL  11

Match Photographs - Click Here

With Bedwas committed to their postponed Cup-tie at Cross Keys, Neath were grateful to Cwmllynfell for filling the breach. The visitors proved an enterprising unit who were by no means disgraced although the Blacks ran in seven tries in a high tempo friendly that greatly entertained a crowd of 1,800 at The Gnoll.

Neath welcomed back skipper Steve Martin after injury and he was soon in action taking the first lineout before outside-half Arwel Thomas nudged the Blacks ahead with a penalty that was soon cancelled out by Cwm full back Peter Thomas.

The Blacks got their opening try when a 40-metre charge by No.8 Ben Davies saw the ball switched left and, when full back Gareth Morris was halted short of the line, lock Martin Morgan collected and scored, Arwel Thomas converting before Peter Thomas landed his second goal. Neath then stepped up the pace and a pushover try by Ben Davies and a try from a quickly-taken penalty by skipper Martin, both converted by Thomas, made it 24-6 to Neath at the interval.

The halftime appearance of Santa (bearing a remarkable resemblance to Neath groundsman Roy Evans) delighted the youngsters in the crowd who were given free rugby balls. Neath started the second-half with a bang, great teamwork setting up tries for Ben Davies and centre Aled Bevan and Thomas converted both. A flurry of substitutions saw those grand old props Paul Jones and Andrew Howell re-united and their powerful charges soon had the visitors reeling.

But the visitors stuck to their guns and kept Neath out until a spell of sustained possession yielded try number six for Neil Clapham. Arwel Thomas converted to complete an immaculate display of goalkicking before departing and Neath nearly added another wonder-score when replacement hooker Gerwyn Price broke from 60 yards out, chipped ahead and was marginally beaten to the touchdown by a Cwm defender.

Then came the try of the match – and Cwmllynfell scored it ! Impressive outside-half Craig Jones fed centre Kevin Jones on his own line and the running was taken up by wing Andrew Luther who ran 70 metres to score a try that met with generous applause from the home crowd. Neath had the final word with Clapham’s second try – their seventh – that Bevan converted to seal a good afternoon’s rugby in which Neath advanced their tally to 302 points in the last five games. 

Neath – G.Morris (G.James); N.Clapham, A.Bevan, J.Spratt, R.Johnston; A.Thomas (M.Roberts), P.Horgan; A.W.Davies (A.Howell), E.Shervington (G.Price), C.Mitchell (P.Jones); S.Martin (captain), M.Morgan (J.Davies); H.Jenkins, B.Davies, J.McPhail (A.Llewellyn)

Cwmllynfell – P.Thomas; A.Carter, P.Davies, K.Jones, A.Luther; C.Jones, K.Owen; D.Slyman, A.Morgan (captain), C.Hunt; E.Jones, P.Rummings; S.Slyman, J.Morgan, A.Lewis Replacements : D.Herbert, G.W.Thomas, G.Thomas, L.Davies, P.Skilton, N.Thomas, C.Singleton

Referee – Mr. Phil Connett (Hafod-yr-Ynys)