Fixture

Tumble earned a valuable bonus point victory with a five try demolition of near neighbours Pontyberem.

From the outset Pontyberem attacked and, with a poor crossfield kick not gathered by Tumble an alert Aled Rees got the touchdown which Mike Sauro converted.  The restart saw Tumble attack and, with Pontyberem transgressing in midfield, Leighton McKenna reduced arrears with a well taken penalty. Sauro however restored the differential when he added a second penalty after ten minutes.

Tumble's forwards were able to boss their opponents and when they set up a maul, Pontyberem had no answers. Collapsing the maul, Tumble were awarded a penalty. The catch and drive in the visitors twenty two saw the mercurial Iwan Morgan dart over and with McKenna adding the extras, the deficit was three points. Tumble took the lead after twenty nine minutes when the energetic prop Conner Allen crashed over for McKenna to convert off the upright. Sauro kicked a third penalty to keep Pontyberem interested but it was the dominant Magpies pack which now controlled things.

With thirty seven minutes gone, the Magpies added their third try, when another forward drive saw the livewire Steffan Owen get the touchdown. The Blue and Blacks were now unable to cope with the onslaught from the home pack and Gareth Beynon and Nathan Willard took play deep into opposition territory. Pontyberem received two yellow cards but the Magpies were unable to capitalise. Half time came with Tumble leading by six points.

The second half saw Pontyberem use their backs and they made inroads into the home defence being awarded a penalty which fullback Lewis converted on fifty two minutes, Tumble got their try bonus point when, following a changing run by Willard and supported by Allen, they were awarded a scrum  some eight metres out. Tumble pushed and scrum half Morgan got his second try which McKenna converted.

On the hour, Tumble were stunned when McKenna received a red card for an alleged swinging arm tackle. Sauro stepped up and converted the thirty eight metre penalty. Tumble were now in defensive mode and with Pontyberem rumbling forward slowly, they were held in their own territory. When they did move the ball out wide they looked sharp and created problems but some good defensive work by Steff Owen and Steven Rees together with the support of evergreen Dafydd Humphries they held firm.

With the clock running down, Hewitt's delicate chip and chase saw Pontyberem carry over and minor for a five metre scrum and, with Willard and Allen combining, they sent flanker Owain Davies over for a try wide out. Four minutes into stoppage, Steven Hewitt nailed the coffin firmly shut when he landed a thirty metre penalty.  

The first half of the season has given the Magpies a solid base on which to build and they now have some momentum going into another crucial game when they play a resurgent Carmarthen Athletic away on 7th January.

The matchday programme can be found at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-69OGlm5tyIaDlvbXJRX1FkTUE/view?usp=sharing

Line-Up:

15 James Carter

14 Sam Jones

13 Steffan Price

12 Leighton McKenna

11 Josh Davies

10 Steven Hewitt

9 Iwan Morgan

1 Conner Allen

2 Dafydd Humphreys

3 Kieron Richards

4 Gareth Beynon

5 Hefin Dumbrill (captain)

6 Owain Davies

7 Steffan Owen

8 Nathan Willard

16 Steven Rees

17 Rhys Lewis

18 Celt Flint

19 Rhodri Jones

20 Iwan Price