Fixture

The Magpies made their second journey to St George's Field, Llanelli in three weeks to face New Dock Stars RFC. The game started with New Dock keen to avenge the 7-55 loss suffered against Tumble in the National Bowl at the end of September and they had the Magpies under pressure from the kick off. With the rain coming down hard and the ball wet and slippery Tumble found it difficult to create anything in the opening exchanges. New Dock took the lead after four minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Tumble were found to be offside at a ruck. Outside half James Baxter slotted over the kick to make the score 3-0 to the hosts. Tumble's first real attacking foray into the New Dock half came after 12 minutes when a lovely break saw wing Aled Price race down the right-hand touchline and then feed full back Nicky Allison, who despite a stumble before the line reached out to ground the ball for a well worked try. Outside half Steven Hewitt missed the penalty from wide on the right to make the score 3-5 to the Magpies. Four minutes later New Dock were back in the lead when another Baxter penalty made it 6-5 to the hosts. The game now ebbed and flowed as both sides attempted to put phases of play together in the wet conditions. On 29 minutes New Dock were penalised for not rolling away at a ruck and up stepped Hewitt to slot over a 30-metre penalty and make the score 6-8 to Tumble. On 36 minutes the Magpies found themselves down to 14 men when prop Ceiron Evans was yellow carded after being adjudged to have led into a tackle with the shoulder. Playing on permit the son of former Magpie prop Phil Evans was replaced at the next scrum by his cousin Liam Willard, who was pressed into action again as a makeshift prop. In first half injury time New Dock were awarded another penalty which Baxter attempted from 45 metres only to see his effort drop agonising short of the crossbar. Tumble avoided further scares and held out until half time to go into the break 6-8 ahead. 

The second half started with the Magpies putting concerted pressure on the New Dock defence. With the Tumble scrum in dominant mood a scrum v saw the Magpies push their opponents back and number 8 Owain Davies ground the ball to claim the pushover try after nine minutes. Hewitt added the simple conversation to make the score 6-15 to the visitors and open up a bit of daylight between the two teams.  On 15 minutes Tumble further extend their lead when Hewitt hit a penalty from 22 metres after New Dock were deemed offside in midfield, 6-18 to Tumble. In fact, despite significant pressure in the last 20 minutes no further scoring took place. The Magpies were unlucky when on 20 minutes a break in midfield saw the ball grubbered ahead and a footrace take place. Replacement wing Sam Jones slid in and appeared to score a deserved try. Unfortunately, the referee had another ideas and chalked the score off after deeming that the ball had been knocked on in the act of scoring. Tumble maintained the pressure and nearly scored another try, deep in injury time through wing Mike Edwards. Unfortunately, Edwards was deemed to have lost control of the ball when attempting to ground it at full stretch. A couple of minutes later the ref blew up to signal the end of game, four points in the bag and a top of the table league position.

Man of the match: Richard Davies. Pushed into emergency scrum half duties Davies played well controlling the backline and keeping the side going forward.

Next week the boys make the trip north to Ceredigion to face Lampeter Town RFC in the second round of the Specsavers National Bowl.

Ymlaen Y Piod