FIRST XV LOSE NARROWLY to

ST. CLEARS

Pembroke entertained St. Clears on a breezy, damp, sunny day, for this eagerly anticipated encounter, between the two teams at the top of Division Three West (A).

St. Clears arrived full of confidence, but with a much-changed side from their previous week’s emphatic win at Neyland. Pembroke, meanwhile, boasted an unbeaten league record to date and a determination to keep this run going.

Both teams started strongly, testing out each other’s defences with early thrusts deep into their respective 22 areas. Pembroke were the first to score, after a counter-attack from their own 22, which saw some excellent interplay leading to the ball being moved wide to winger Barry Alderman John, who expertly eluded a number of defenders to score an excellent, unconverted individual effort wide out.

St. Clears replied minutes later with a penalty (by their young fullback) after sustained pressure deep in the Pembroke half. They maintained pressure on the Pembroke line for some time and eventually, after repelling a number of assaults, they created an opening for their hooker to crash over from close in, for a well-earned converted try.

Then after their own sustained period of intense pressure, Pembroke forwards, who had established a degree of dominance in the set-piece, created quick possession in midfield, which saw the backs cut through, with a strong carry by Dom Coleman, who passed to young Pembroke scrum-half Tom Lewis to run in for an excellent support try, converted by fullback Luke Hartland.

Pembroke at this point, through dogged determination, seemed to have established some control in the game. However, a few minutes into injury time, the visitors produced a period of intense pressure deep in Pembroke territory and their dangerous backs forged an opportunity for their left winger to cross wide out for a very controversial, unconverted score, leaving the half-time score at 15-12 to the visitors, which was just reward as they had proved the more clinical side in the red zone during the first half.

The third quarter saw Pembroke regroup as both sides put pressure on each other’s lines, without being able to penetrate some very determined defensive work by forwards and backs alike.

Then at the start of the last quarter, after another sustained period of intense pressure, the Pembroke forwards forged a position from an attacking lineout, for Sam Smith to crash over for a well-deserved, unconverted try, to put Pembroke deservedly 17-15 up.

St Clears, however, were still proving dangerous and with only six minutes remaining, they produced a forward surge of their own, which took them deep into Pembroke territory, where the home team were forced to defend for a few minutes, before, under relentless pressure, a Pembroke forward transgressed at the breakdown and provided the visitors with a penalty, which they gladly converted to take the lead.

Pembroke, in the last few minutes, got deep into their opponents’ half and repeatedly tried in various ways to cross the whitewash, but sadly failed to, leaving the exuberant visitors the winners at 18-17.

Referee Adrian Lewis, of Llanelli, paid tribute to both sides for a well-contested game, played in excellent spirit. Pembroke players and supporters were very disapppointed to have lost so narrowly, but they acknowledged the determined and persistent performance of the visitors.

There were excellent performances from the home pack, the young brigade of Luke Hartland, Tom Kinnear, Jordan Evans, Tom Lewis and the old head in Barry Alderman John on the left wing.

Pembroke now move on to Llangwm next week, prior to the Quins derby the week after.

YOUTH XV

Pembroke Youth maintained their recent good form with a narrow win over Haverfordwest Youth. Pembroke began the match well, with forwards and backs accurately handling the ball to set up promising field positions, whilst being unable to add the final scoring pass.

The deadlock was broken when Pembroke attacked using the forwards to gain good field position and the ball was then spread wide, where centre Fraser James broke a couple of tackles before running 30m to score close to the posts. Billy Kinnear converted to give Pembroke a lead of 7-0.

Pembroke continued to dominate and when awarded a free-kick close to the line, hooker Andrew ‘Gandy’ Evans crashed over to make the score 12-0 at half-time.

The Haverfordwest lads increased the tempo at the start of the second half and, after Pembroke conceded several penalties, they scored a try from a well-organised driving lineout, which was converted to make the score 12-7.

Pembroke then replied after a tremendous break from Fraser James, who was held up just short of the line, recycled the ball quickly for wing Hal Gaskell to score wide out; a difficult conversion was missed.

After this score, the Haverfordwest team attacked continuously and only strong defence from the entire Pembroke team managed to keep them at bay. Final score 17-7.

Pembroke welcomed back Yori Roberts to the team after a few weeks away with injury, as he played at scrum-half, a position new to him and this showed in some of the basics.

Overall, a good performance by Pembroke, who will look forward to the return trip to Haverfordwest next Saturday.

DRAMATIC WIN

FOR UNDER 16s

Pembroke won their seventh league game of the season against Tenby at Heywood Lane with a dramatic last minute 35-metre penalty from scrum-falf Jared Sherratt.

In an exciting game, both teams played excellent rugby and showed commitment and effort that was a credit to both clubs. The game, superbly refereed and controlled by David Bryne, was a typical local derby with no quarter given.

From the beginning it was obvious that this was to be a hard fought game, with both sets of forwards trying to exert their authority on the game with hard-hitting tackling.

Pembroke, with the wind on their backs, looked to play fast, open rugby and this eventually paid off with a couple of early penalties from fulback Harry Turner.

Pembroke had a number of players missing through injury and illness and had to shuffle the team. The front row of Rhys Taylor, Shane Gwyther, Liam Brunton and the new second row combination of Ryan Gammer and Leon Stewart worked hard in the tight exchanges and this meant the back row of James Jones, Med Le Britton Booth and Theo Davies could get about the pitch and compete with the Tenby pack.

Half-backs Gethin Bradney and James Allen controlled the game well and used the wind to their advantage to keep Tenby pinned back in their own half.

However, Tenby hit back with a couple of well-taken tries to take the lead, but Pembroke responded with a well-worked try of their own from hooker Shane Gwyther, with the extra=s again being added by Harry Turner to put Pembroke ahead 13-10 at half-time in an exciting and highly contested encounter.

Playing against the wind in the second half, Pembroke had to soak up more and more pressure and Tenby made this count with a try in the corner.

With Jared Sherratt on at scrum-half and the new centre combination of Mike Doyle and Rhys Griffiths looking to run the ball at every opportunity to get speedy wings Joe Watkins and Johnathan Smith into space, Pembroke fought back with a well-worked try from James Allen and Harry Turner again kicked a superb conversion to take a 20-15 lead.

With the game heading into the last quarter, Tenby scored another try to level the match at 20-20 and set up a tense finalé.

With time running out, Pembroke spread the ball wide from their own 22, worked the ball up field into the Tenby half and won a pressure penalty, which Jared Sherratt duly slotted over for a dramatic win, after what had been a very intense, exciting match by 23-20, which was a credit to both squads.