Fixture

The Development XV travelled to Parc y Scarlets on Saturday afternoon to take on Llangennech RFC 2nd XV in the final of the Castell Howell Foods Plate. Fielding a side balanced with a good mix of youth and experience the Mighty Magpies started off well and took the game to their opponents with the likes of second row Jon Talbot and centres Owain Williams and Alex Jones showing up well. Llangennech took the lead on 11 minutes when their outside half Ross Howells kicked a penalty from 22 metres after the Magpies were adjudged to have been offside at a ruck. The Magpies front row of Rhys Tobias, Dafydd Humphreys and Ashley Evans were having the upper hand in the scrum and following a scrum penalty centre Owain Williams drew the score level at 3-3 with a calmly struck penalty on 18 minutes. This was now a very even physical battle with both teams giving 110% and putting their bodies on the line. On 25 minutes Llan scored a try from nothing when centre Neil Duggen burst through a slack tackle in midfield to score under the posts. Howells added the easy conversion to make the score 3-10. On the half hour mark Magpies scrum half Rhodri Jones score a lovely sniping try under the posts following some conserted phase play, including two line breaks by centre Alex Jones. Owain Williams added the conversion from below the uprights to draw the score level at 10-10. No sooner than Tumble had drawn the score level than slack play in their own 22 saw the ball go loose and Llan score in the right hand corner through centre Mathew Davies. The conversion was missed from a wide angle making the score 10-15 which is how it remained at the break.

The second half started on a positive note for the Magpies when they were awarded an early penalty. Unfortunately, the ball went narrowly wide from a well struck Owain Williams penalty from 35 metres. There was starting to be a little niggle between the two sides and things boiled over on 50 minutes when some pushing saw Magpies fullback Stephen Mills red carded, somewhat harshly. The sense of injustice was compounded in the following minutes when a forearm to the face of centre Alex Jones and some additional pushing and shoving went unpunished following the president set with the Mills sending off. A man down the Magpies weathered some Llan pressure but gradually re-established parity in terms of possession. A penalty from Owain Williams on 70 minutes saw the score brought back to 13-18. In the closing stages the Magpies maintained phase after phase of play creaping closer to the Llan try line before they drove over. Tumble players celebrated the try but after having a long look at the pile up on the try line the referee indicated that he believed that the ball had been held up. The goal line drop out was awarded with Llan grubbering the ball not the required 5 metres and reclaiming possession before booting the ball into touch. Much to the surprise of the Magpies players and support instead of Llan being asked to retake the kick or the Magpies being awarded a scrum the referee blew for full time.

A valiant display from the Development XV and an enjoyable game to watch. There is disappointment in losing the game but the re-establishment of a Development XV this season has to be seen as a massive bonus for the club. Da iawn bois.

Ymlaen Y Piod