Fixture

The Magpies took a step nearer a league and Cup double in their 125th year with a 22-7 win against Abercrave RFC at Loughor on Tuesday night in the semi-final of the Towergate West Wales Plate. Abercrave started the game well, using the heavy pack to full advantage and gaining the upper hand in the scrum. The Magpies gradually worked their way into the game and within five minutes had taken the lead following a sweetly struck penalty from full back Steven Hewitt, awarded after an Aber player was adjudged to have dived over a ruck. After getting their noses in front the Magpies started to express themselves with some good handling and strong carries, personified by hard working number 8 Nathan Willard whose barn storming 20 metre run saw him hauled down just short of the Aber try line. In the following ruck another penalty was conceded which Hewitt easily converted from bang in front of the posts, 6-0 nine minutes played. Tumble were now in the mood and playing some free-flowing stuff with captain Steffan Price going close on the twenty minute mark. On 21 minutes Tumble were awarded a penalty from 40 metres out which Hewitt thumped  against the right hand upright and saw the ball rebound back in field. Concerted Tumble possession saw Aber lose their discipline and their inside centre yellow carded. On 32 minutes a lovely backline move by Tumble saw the ball worked wide to pacey wing Elis Lewis. Lewis round and then stepped inside three players to cross the line and place the ball down for what looked like a sensational try, only for the linesman to intervene and claim that the ball had been lost forward in the act of grounding. After playing the majority of the first half in the Aber half the Magpies scored another three points from a long-range Hewitt penalty to go into the interval, 9-0 in front.

With the wind now with them Aber started the second half well but couldn't break the strong Tumble defensive line with outside half Richard Davies and flanker Jack Tucker prominent in the tackle. After the initial period of pressure from Aber the Magpies re-established the upper hand and two penalties from Hewitt saw the lead further stretched to 15-0 within the first 16 minutes of the second half. We now entered a 10-minute period where Abercrave put Tumble under sustained pressure, scoring a sniping try wide on the right. A superb conversion from wide out saw the score pulled back to 15-7 with still 15 minutes left to play. Tumble weathered the storm and regained parity in the game. On 74 minutes the Magpies secured a line out 10 metres out from the Abercrave line. The ball was thrown to the middle of the line and cleanly won by second row Ryan Lewis, who had been dominant in the line out all evening. The ball was brought down and the rolling maul began with Tumble surging over the Aber try line, despite the effort of a defending player to bring it down. The pile up of bodies cleared and replacement Tumble prop, James Stephens emerged with the ball and to the congratulations of his teammates. Hewitt added another well taken conversion to bring to score to 22-7, which is how the match ended despite more Aber pressure and seven minutes of injury time.

The club now face two 'Cup finals' in a week, first up is Betws RFC away in the final league fixture. Sitting three points behind Trimsaran RFC, who have played all their games the Magpies know that a win will secure them the Admiral National League Division 3 West B championship. Second up is the final of the Towergate West Wales Plate, against Lampeter Town RFC who beat Trimsaran RFC in the other semi-final on Wednesday night. Date and venue of the final are to be confirmed.

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