Blues suffer after good start (From Western Telegraph)

Blues suffer after good start

Ystalyfera 57 Haverfordwest 18

Haverfordwest scored three tries in their match at Ystalyfera but still went down to a heavy defeat in a game which was very entertaining but where the Blues rising injury list was more and more apparent as flanker Karl Weake slotted in as prop and Andrew Thicker played his first match for six weeks.

But the Blues still made a bright start as they scored a good try by Paul Mason in the forth minute and quickly followed up with a penalty from teenage full back Tom Sterling.

But Ystalyfera replied immediately when winger Damian Jones raced clear and fly half Gareth James added the extras - although the Blues showed further attacking prowess when quick hands allowed centre David Jones to claim a try.

A quickly-taken tap penalty set up another try for Ystalyfera from scrum half Phil Thomas which Gareth James converted - and after 14 minutes the Blues found themselves 13-14 adrift!

It was the start of a good spell for the homesters and they moved to 31-13 by half time with tries by Phil Thomas and Kevin Williams, both converted by James as fly half Martin Sherman also nudged over a drop goal.

Then No 8 Mark McComas, Damian Jones and flanker Paul Davies added further scores and Damian Jones potted two conversions before the Blues fought back through their pack as Week, Brazell, Thicker and Gareth Green worked hard at a series of penalties which allowed Mark Busch to crash over the line.

Ystalyfera had the final word with another try for flanker Davies, converted by Damian Jones, and the Blues returned home with little to show for a great deal of effort from their makeshift side!

Haverfordwest: Tom Sterling: Steve Hamer; David Jones; Matthew Kelly (Richard ORourke); Paul Mason: Mike Jones; Mark Hamer: Karl Weake; Gareth Green; Chris Thomas: Gareth Thomas; Mark Busch: Andrew Griffiths; Richard Brazell; Andrew Thicker.