Fixture

SWALEC League Division 3 West A

 Saturday 24^th October 2015

St Clears 22 Cardigan 20

After two crushing defeats in the league already in October, to Haverfordwest and Milford Haven - the teams in first and second in the table - the prospect of facing Cardigan, the team in third place was not one anyone relished but nerves were instantly calmed when almost immediately after the kick off, centre Liam Price touched down and Luke Conbeer converted to put Saints seven points to the good.

The inevitable reaction followed from the visitors and both territory and possession put huge pressure on the home defence but in stark contrast to the previous league encounters in October they stood firm and the visitors never really looked like scoring until for the first time, half an hour into the game, a gap opened and the lively Cardigan full back sliced through to touch down under the posts. The conversion from the outside half levelled the scores but Saints showed their resolve not to be rolled over and exerted their own pressure which resulted in a try in the corner just before half time for centre Ceri Jones (pictured) to put them in front by 12 points to 7 at the break.

 The visitors were the livelier in the opening stages of the second half and their back division combined well with some good open play rugby which produced an excellent try under the posts for their right wing ten minutes after the restart. Another conversion from their number ten put them in front for the first time at 14 points to 12.

Two penalties, narrowly missed by full back Conbeer, were an indication of a reversal in the game and pressure from the home side forwards produced a try at the foot of the posts for substitute Andrew Deacon, duly converted by Conbeer.

The game continued from end to end and two further penalties for Cardigan’s outside half put them in front by one point with fifteen minutes remaining.

That looked likely to be the final result with neither side giving any quarter but a penalty conceded by the visitors on their own ten yard line with only seconds remaining gave Luke Conbeer an outside chance of winning the match. With everbodys’ hearts in mouths an excellent  kick cleared the crossbar by inches and to much cheering on and off the pitch the referee blew the final whistle for a memorable and perhaps slightly surprising, but nonetheless fully deserved victory by 22 points to 20 for the home side.