NARBERTH came so close but eventually succumbed to second placed Bedwas in the WRU Championship 31-25.
The loss is Narberth's fifth of the season leaving them in seventh place in the Championship with 25 points, 17 points off leaders Bargoed. Bedwas are second with 41 points.
Report by Robert Lewis
On Saturday Narberth travelled to Bedwas who currently stand 2nd in the Championship League. The Otters were expecting a tough game and within minutes Bedwas had points on the board when they scored a try from a lineout and rolling maul close to the Narberth line which fly half Dion McIntosh converted (7-0).
Ten minutes later the Otters got back into the game when centre Jake Jenkins intercepted a pass on the halfway line and ran in under the posts to score. Fly half Ashley Sutton converted (7-7).
Narberth scrum half George MacDonald then chased his own kick downfield and unfortunately knocked the ball on when trying to regather the ball close to the Bedwas try line.
Narberth did get their noses in front a few minutes later when Sutton kicked a penalty (7-10).
Bedwas were quick to reply when they ran the ball out of defence and fullback Hamish Anderson kicked ahead and won the race for the touchdown. McIntosh converted (14-10).
Bedwas were beginning to get the upper hand and from a flowing three-quarter movement their right wing scored in the corner which McIntosh did well to convert again (21-10).
However within minutes the Otters were again crossing the try line when right wing Josh Davies burst through three despairing tackles and scored a try in the corner which Sutton failed to convert (21-15).
Nick Gale who had been struggling with a leg injury then left the field to be replaced by Will Hughes who moved onto the wing with Davies slotting in at fullback.
After the break McIntosh kicked a penalty to extend the lead (24-15).
Narberth then lost further players to injury with Jake Jenkins, Prop Tom Slater and No.8 Steff Phillips being replaced by Gino Setaro, Ifan James and Rhys Williams.
However the Otters refused to give up and eight minutes from time after a series of five metre scrums MacDonald forced his way over the Bedwas try line and Sutton added the conversion (24-22).
Two minutes later a Sutton penalty put the Otters in front (24-25). Then a rare missed tackle in midfield by Narberth allowed Bedwas centre Dafydd Thomas to score under the posts for McIntosh to convert and regain the lead (31-25).
In the last move of the game Josh Davies made an excellent run out of defence but was unfortunately brought down within inches of the Bedwas try line.
The referee then blew the whistle to end the game, with the Otters having to be satisfied with a losing bonus point when it could have been so nearly a marvellous away win against one of the top sides in the League.
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