Otters maintain good start (From Western Telegraph)

Otters maintain good start

Abercynon 17 Narberth 23

Narberth maintained their excellent start to the new campaign as they beat Abercynon and pouched three very welcome league points away from their Lewis Lloyd Ground - always a good sign at this stage of the season and never easy against a big and abrasive opposing team which was never going to turn over and accept defeat.

The Otters trailed by 12-8 at the interval but had second use of quite a strong breeze - and once they took the lead there was little danger of their being headed again, Abercynons only other score coming from the last move of the match, when it was too late to affect the result.

Yet it was Abercynon who took the lead as early as the second minute when full back Hugh Davies landed a penalty - but the Otters served due notice of intent as young full back Aled Davies and centre Will Morgan both went close on the left.

After 14 minutes Narberth took the lead when good lineout ball secured by skipper Jason Jennings allowed the Otters to score a try from a concerted forward drive where lock Imori Kaletau secured possession and hooker Kevin Davies emerged with the ball.

Davies hit the post with an Abercynon penalty before Simon Daniel landed a three-pointer for the Otters - but with the wind at their backs, Abercynon had an opportunist drop goal by fly half Richard Thomas to go with two further penalties by Davies to go into the interval four points ahead, but with the Narberth faithful pleased that their defence had kept a clean sheet in terms of tries.

Jamie Bohata had featured with a strong run before the break and the work-rate of Alan Reynolds, Gareth Bennett, Chris Flattery and Rob Jones allowed Chris MacDonald to dictate play from the base of the scrum but the Otters were frustrated by a blank sheet in the third quarter as Abercynon defended well and the Otters made mistakes at key moments at tap penalties and lineout drives.

The pressure finally paid off, however, when Aled Davies kicked deep to put his opposite number in a position where he had to kick back and MacDonald instigated a thrust from which Andrew Bowen and Will Morgan put Andrew George over in the corner.

The Otters were still adrift as Daniel missed the conversion but Narberth finally recaptured the lead in the closing stages after changing both props and bringing on Tevita Manaseitava for Bowen in the centre.

Dai Balkwill and Puku Faletau gave the pack a fresh impetus and after Davies had missed two penalties for Abercynon, Manaseitava pounced for his first try to put the Otters ahead.

Abercynon tried desperately to recapture the advantage but when a move broke down Manaseitava used his experience to good effect as he put in a telling grubber kick behind the disorganised home defence which rolled and rolled before Will Morgan won the race for the touchdown and an unconverted try.

At 23-12 the Otters had the game won although there was a late blip as Abercynon benefited from a last-gasp mistake in the Narberth ranks so that centre James Lynch pounced for a try - but fortunately for Narberth it was a case of too little, too late for an Abercynon fight-back.

Narberth had an attractive home league fixture with Llandovery last night (Tuesday) and face another tough away match at Ystradgynlais on Saturday.

Narberth: Aled Davies: Andrew Jones; Will Morgan; Andrew Bowen; Andrew George: Simon Daniel; Chris MacDonald: Chris Flattery; Kevin Davies; Rob Jones: Imori Katelau; Jason Jennings: Jamie Bohata; Andrew Reynolds; Gareth Bennett. Replacements: Tevita Manaseitava, Puku Faletau; Dai Balkwill.