Fixture

The Magpies travelled to Nantgaredig RFC on Tuesday night to face Division 3 West A side Lampeter Town RFC in the final of the Towergate West Wales Plate. Tumble went into the game knowing that a win would secure them a league and Cup double having clinched Admiral National League Division 3 West B the previous week with a win against Betws RFC. Tumble started brightly carrying the ball into the Lampeter 22 before a loose pass saw the ball turned over and Lampeter kick the ball into touch near halfway. Ryan Lewis won the resultant line out but the Lampeter forwards did not commit to the maul which saw Tumble penalised for offside when they attempted the drive. Lampeter kicked to touch into the Magpies 22. A period of concerted phase play from Lampeter saw them commit the Tumble defence until it was breached on 7 minutes when second row R. Williams, went over from short range to the right of the posts. Outside half O. Jones, slotted the conversion over to give Lampeter a 0-7 lead after 5 minutes. Straight from the restart the Magpies gave away a penalty for a high tackle which allowed outside half Jones to kick the ball down into the Tumble 22 for a Lampeter line out. The line out was won and Lampeter powered the driving maul over for another try scored by hooker R. Mackie. Outside half Jones stepped up and added the conversion, 0-14 to Lampeter with only 9 minutes played and the Magpies having it all to do. The Magpies were having difficulty establishing a foothold in the game and turned down kickable penalty attempts with the aim of kicking to the corner and going for a try. Unfortunately, Tumble were having trouble retaining the ball in the tackle with Lampter's very effective backrow competing for the ball at every ruck. Finally, the Magpies decided to go for the posts and get points on the board after 25 minutes when a Lampeter jackler went off his feet at a ruck. Experienced full back Steven Hewitt, who had been in magnificent form from the tee during recent weeks stepped up and slotted the ball through the uprights from 20 metres out, 3-14 with the Magpies finally on the scoreboard. It however only took three minutes for Lampeter to extend their lead when number 10 Jones nailed a penalty from 20 metres, after the Magpies were adjudged to being offside in midfield, 3-17. Any hopes Tumble had of making an immediate response were ended within two minutes when powerful Lampeter wing J. Williams broke a couple of tackles to run in a superb try from 35 metres. Jones slotted home the conversion from wide on the right to make the score 3-24 after half an hour. The Magpies were now seeing the game starting to slip away from them and needed to dig deep to get further points on the board before half time. A penalty kick into the Lampeter 22 saw Tumble form a driving maul from a line out. The forwards trucked the ball into the right-hand corner and over the Lampeter try line before open side Callum Williams flanker grounded the ball from the back of the maul. Hewitt calmly added the conversion to make the score 10-24 with 34 minutes played. The Magpies were now back within two converted tries of Lampeter but both sides were unable to add further scores before the interval. 10-24 to Lampeter at half time.

The second half saw Lampeter again establish a dominance in the game, especially at ruck time when they more often than not disrupted the Magpies getting clean ball. Matters took a turn for the worse on 48 minutes when some nice back play and powerful running saw Lampeter deep into the Tumble half. The ball was worked back to supporting second row G. Jones who beat the covering defender and dive over for a try which was nicely converted by his namesake outside half O. Jones. The score was now 10-31 with 50 minutes and even the most diehard Tumble supporter must have thought that there was too much to do to get something out of this game. The Magpies had two choices, flight or fight and luckily for the sizeable Tumble support they chose the latter. Three minutes following the last Lampeter try, Tumble crossed for a try from a driving line out, much like their try from the first half, except this time it was hooker Rhys Lewis who capitalise with the try. Left of the post, Hewitt kicked a fine conversion to bring the score back to 17-31 with 53 minutes played. The Magpies now had the bit between the teeth as they pushed for another score which would put them right back into the game. Some great back play saw Steven Hewitt feed replacement centre Scott Jones, who straightened his line, drew the man and released fellow replacement, wing Sam Jones who crossed for a try in the corner. 22-31 and game on. Up stepped Hewitt to add the conversion from a wide angle, 24-31. With a vocal crowd behind them Tumble were playing with passion and piling into their opposition. Lampeter found themselves down to 14 men with a yellow card on 64 minutes. Again, the Magpies went close through scrum half Iwan Morgan, only to be held out by the Lampeter defence. On 69 minutes a penalty kick to the corner saw a hooker Rhys Lewis go over for his second try from the rear of the driving maul. The ever-accurate Hewitt added the conversion to level the score at 31-31. The Magpies were pumped up and hitting anything that moved roared on by their supporters. On 77 minutes after another storming period of play the Magpies were awarded a penalty 23 metres out wide on the left. Up stepped Hewitt but he was left to wait a few minutes to take the kick as the Lampeter number 8 received prolonged treatment under the posts. Finally, two minutes into injury time Hewitt showed nerves of steel to step up and slot over a superb kick. 82 minutes played and Tumble take the lead for the first time in the game. 34-31 to the Magpies with their support hysterical. Still the drama wasn't open when a minute later Lampeter were awarded a penalty 40 minutes out, up stepped O. Jones, but to the relief of all those wearing black and white, the kick sailed wide to the right. The final whistle was met with joyous celebration from both Tumble players and supporters, with Captain Steffan Price stepping up to receive the West Wales Plate from WRU board member Kevin Lewis. The club's second success in the West Wales Plate competition, to complete the double along with the Admiral National League Division 3 West B title. A wonderful end to the first part of the club's 125th anniversary.

Video footage of the match: 

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