By: Paul Hopkins
Llandovery ended the All Whites’ cup dreams for another season with a clinical 28-7 win at Church Bank.
The visitors secured an early turnover from the kick off, but winger Morgan Williams fielded fly half Steffen Williams’ high kick into the twenty-two.
Scrum half Lee Rees made a dangerous run from a ruck and found Rhodri Jones in support, but the centre spilled the ball forward. However, Jones atoned soon after when his deft chip through found touch a metre short of the try line.
Swansea were handed an attacking platform when fly half Jack Maynard failed to take a high kick under little pressure. Centre J Rhys Williams took a crash ball as the visitors kept possession within the forwards, but Steffen Williams’ kick was comfortably marked by full back Gavin Thomas.
A superb break by centre Ryan Evans set up a Drovers’ attack and a clever slip pass by Thomas sent Rhodri Jones racing through the defence to score the opening try. Maynard missed the conversion.
The Whites hit back immediately when flanker Morgan Morris picked up a loose pass at the restart and zig zagged past weak Llandovery tackles to score under the posts. Steffen Williams converted.
Flanker Lewis Ellis-Jones stole ball at the lineout to send winger Aaron Warren sprinting down the wing. He found Thomas in support, but the visitors were penalised for offside in midfield so Maynard kicked his side back into the lead.
Morgan Williams raced down the right wing, but slipped at the vital moment, and fellow Warren was unable to retrieve a grubber kick on the left flank with the bounce favouring the Swansea defence.
Moments before half time a quick lineout by the home side caught the visitors half asleep as Rees raced clear to score a second Drovers try. Maynard missed the conversion.
Half-time:- Llandovery 13 Swansea 7
Lock Jack Jones collected a lineout inside the Swansea twenty-two and the visitors were penalised for handling in the ruck. Maynard turned down the kick at goal in favour of a short range lineout and the decision paid off as hooker Ricky Guest powered over for a try from an unstoppable maul. Maynard missed the conversion.
Morris burst through a tackle and found Steffen Williams, who sprinted up to the twenty-two, before flanker Stuart Worrall made a try saving tackle. Play was brought back for a Swansea penalty though and Steffen Williams chipped to the corner.
Lock Matt Dodd rose high to collect the lineout, but tenacious work by the Drovers’ defence earned a turnover.
Replacement flanker Shaun Miles almost broke loose from a tackle, but substitute hooker Ifan Phillips stepped offside at the ruck, gifting the home side a penalty. Maynard kicked to touch and the home side were able to build another attack with Evans showing his pace out wide, before handing a scoring pass to Warren. Maynard missed the conversion.
Warren and Evans both ran at the Swansea defence at pace, forcing a penalty. Maynard kicked to the corner, but Guest was held up over the line. Llandovery were unable to capitalise on the scrum five as the ball came loose.
A superb dummy by Warren saw him sprint through the middle and he found Rees in support, although the Swansea defence managed to track back to slow down the move.
Offside in midfield by the visitors saw replacement fly half Kristian Jones chip to the corner and lock Rhys Jones took a short lineout, before Morgan Williams was held up inches short of the line. However, the Drovers spread quick ball out wide for Warren to score. Kristian Jones missed the conversion.
Swansea went in search of a consolation try and looked to counterattack from deep. They were able to get up to the twenty-two, before the Drovers gave away a penalty. Steffen Williams chipped to touch, but the move broke down.
Next up for Llandovery is a home match against Pontypridd, while Swansea travel to Carmarthen.
Full-time:- Llandovery 28 Swansea 7
Llandovery:
Tries:- Rhodri Jones (12), Lee Rees (40), Ricky Guest (46), Aaron Warren (61, 76)
Pens:- Jack Maynard (25)
Swansea:
Tries:- Morgan Morris (14)
Cons:- Steffen Williams (15)
Match facts:
Venue:- Church Bank, Llandovery
Referee:- Gareth Newman
Weather:- Light cloud, 10C
Man of the match:- Ryan Evans
Attendance:- 500
Llandovery team:
15 Gavin Thomas
14 Morgan Williams
13 Ryan Evans (rep: Richard Williams 71)
12 Rhodri Jones
11 Aaron Warren
10 Jack Maynard (rep: Kristian Jones 73)
9 Lee Rees
1 Jamie Hughes (rep: Llyr Green 62)
2 Ricky Guest (rep: Matthew Moore 71)
3 Berian Watkins (rep: Dino Dallavalle 62)
4 Rhys Jones
5 Jack Jones (rep: Morgan Jones 69)
6 Lewis Ellis-Jones
7 Stuart Worrall (rep: Shaun Miles 41)
8 Richard Brooks © (rep: Emyr Price 69)
Replacements:
16 Llyr Green
17 Dino Dallavalle
18 Morgan Jones
19 Emyr Price
20 Matthew Moore
21 Shaun Miles
22 Richard Williams
23 Kristian Jones
Swansea team:
15 R Rhys Williams (rep: Gareth Rees 62)
14 Andrew Claypole
13 Tom Williams
12 J Rhys Williams
11 Ryan Griffiths
10 Steffen Williams
9 Chris Morgans (rep: Tom Ham 62)
1 Jack Powell (rep: Edward Drake 41)
2 Paul John (rep: Ifan Phillips 41)
3 Alex Jeffries (rep: Richard Murphy 41)
4 James Ratti
5 Matt Dodd (rep: Sam Kiley 62)
6 Morgan Morris
7 Will Jones (rep: Duane Eager 66)
8 Jon Fox © (rep: Callum Bowden 39)
Replacements:
16 Ifan Phillips
17 Edward Drake
18 Richard Murphy
19 Sam Kiley
20 Duane Eager
21 Callum Bowden
22 Tom Ham
23 Gareth Rees