Fixture

Table topping clash at Obs against Bowl quarter finalists, what a challenging prospect for leaders St Clears at hosts, second placed Milford and what all the season’s hard work has been leading up to!

The early exchanges were like rutting stags, with no quarter given and none expected and only ‘tit for tat’ penalties to show for the first fifteen minutes efforts, although Saints maybe slightly edged this initial period, before a momentary lack of concentration allowed the hosts too much room and good work from Milford’s slick backs allowed their left wing Josh Thomas to slip in for a try under the posts, the simple conversion resulting in a seven point advantage.

Within minutes, however, another successful penalty from Saints full back Geraint Jones reduced the arrears to four points and the stage was set for the battle ahead!

Chances were few and far between although the visitors established more territory with periods of sustained pressure, resisted well by the solid home defence, who then in turn released their dangerous backs threatening a number of breakaway opportunities.

The deadlock was finally broken by some quick thinking from captain Mathew Lewis who, following a pressure saving clearance kick from the home defence, improvised with a quick self feed throw in and with support from scrum half Llyr Ebsworth, provided the opening for Llyr to score in the corner, edging the visitors into a one point lead at the interval.

The second half continued in the same vein with the next score likely to be decisive in such a tight competitive game, and after ten minutes of the restart, Saints scrum half Shane Morgan broke clear from half way to cross unchallenged to provide some comfort for the visitors. The conversion, in increasingly tricky conditions was narrowly missed and the scores were still too close to call with Saints only six points to the good.

A yellow card reduced Milford to fourteen men shortly afterwards and towards the end of the ten minute penalty period, second row Carwyn Davies produced an excellent individual trademark power try. The conversion was narrowly missed again however and the outcome was still in doubt with twenty minutes remaining.

In such a high pressure, breathless, intense game, fatigue inevitably began to show and with the game flowing from end to end chances did occur, although it was virtually the last kick of the game before Saints defence was broken and a late try for Milford’s replacement winger Lee Riley produced the final result of 21 points to 15 in favour of St Clears.

An excellent game of rugby which was a credit to both teams, much enjoyed by the large crowd of enthusiastic supporters from both sides.