Unlucky Seagulls denied deserved win (From Western Telegraph)

Unlucky Seagulls denied deserved win

Fishguard and Goodwick 16 Ammanford 16

A late try by Ammanford centre Jason Senschell gave his side a share of the spoils against Fishguard and denied the Seagulls a deserved second win in succession.

Small wonder then that coach Chris Mitchell admitted shortly afterwards that he was gutted! But once the battle mist had lifted then Mitch would have said that his team had done really well against a team which just two weeks earlier had beaten them 58-12.

In fact, the visitors could well have lost since Ammanford fly half Rob Petryshons conversion attempt had rapped the post and rebounded clear!

Ammanford are a good team but a home defeat would have been a real injustice because the Seagulls had played their hearts out, with hooker Evan Davies again the star, closely followed by brother Graham at scrum half - while new recruit Miles McDuff was a revelation at No 8. The New Zealander showing on his debut that he will be a real asset as he played well alongside Steve Thomas and Huw Morris.

Huw Evans used his experience to good effect at fly half and he launched the Fishguard offensive with a well-struck penalty before they scored a cracker of a try from a controlled lineout drive where Huw Morris emerged with the ball.

But Ammanford responded with a Rob Petryshon penalty and try from winger Carwyn Jenkins as quick hands put him away in the corner - before a second Evans penalty gave the Seagulls an 11-8 interval lead. The Fishguard front five played really well as Evan Davies supplied the inspiration and they grabbed a second try when Graham Davies drove over from close range as he does so often but Evans was again off target with the conversion attempt.

Second row Arwyn Mathias and full back Dylan Howells looked in good form for Ammanford and a Petryshon penalty hauled them back in with a chance.

But it still looked as if the Seagulls would hold out as Jonathan Jones, Rhys Williams, Gareth Davies, Chris Evans and Eifion Roberts (on at full back for James Morgans) all defended well - until Howells put Senschell over in the dying seconds with a well-timed pass.

At least Lady Luck had some feeling for the Seagulls because Petryshons conversion hit the woodwork - and although they had hoped for three points for the win, a draw was some consolation and certainly better than nothing after so much whole-hearted effort by the entire team.

Fishguard and Goodwick: James Morgans (Eifion Roberts): Jonathan Jones; Rhys Williams; Chris Evans; Gareth Davies: Huw Evans; Graham Davies: Phil Evans (Carl Phillips); Evan Davies; Paul Jackson (Chris Morris): Andrew Merry; Chris OConnor: Huw Morris: Steve Thomas (Carwyn Hughes); Miles McDuff.