Division Three West A:

Haverfordwest 19-17 Aberaeron

A late try by powerful No 8 Lewis Wood helped Haverfordwest gain a hard-fought victory over Aberaeron to pull both teams neckand neck in the table in the battle for third place.

The visitors were never in front but dug in manfully, as the home side edged matters up front although wasted a lot of attacking possession.

But another plus point for Blues’ coach Bruce Evans was the fact that his squad included five youth players in Hywel Churchill, Cole Barry, Tom Carrington, Mark Stobbs and Jake Morgan, who will all have gained from the experience of playing alongside experienced campaigners like Gareth Phillips, Terry Lovell, Jamie Zambas and Wood.

It was Zambas who gave his side the early lead after he ended a good platform by ploughing over at the posts for Morgan to add the extra points but good work up front by Aberaeron’s Tudur Jenkins, Dan Lewis, Gethin Hughes and Owen Wozencroft allowed full back Morgan Llewellyn to take the scoring pass from Rhodri Jenkins to score a try which Jenkins converted to haul his team level.

Blues lead at the Break

But The Blues took a 14-7 lead into the oranges as great support play from flanker Dan John earned him a try which Morgan again converted.

Aberaeron made the better start after the interval and were rewarded with a penalty goaled by Jenkins but although The Blues had the better of the play in territorial terms they were unable to turn it into points until they established a series of close range scrums which finally ended when scrum half Stobbs picked up at a scrum five and fed Wood, who was standing off in anticipation of being involved and he brushed aside his marker to score an unconverted try.

But Aberaeron had the final word, and a deserved bonus point, when a powerful surge in the far right corner saw prop Alex Danton cross for a try which Llewellyn converted.

The Blues host title chasing Pembroke next week, while Aberaeron make what for them is a short trip to Aberaeron.

Haverfordwest: Rhys Baker, Jake Morgan, Dave O’Leary, Gareth Owen (Capt), Josh Atherton, Elgan Roberts, Mark Stobbs, Cole Barry, Jamie Zambas, Terry Lovell, Gareth Phillips, Karl Busch, Dan John, Hywel Churchill, Lewis Wood. Replacements: Matthew Clayton, Tom Carrington, Jack Clancy, Gareth John, Dane Pindair.

Aberaeron:  Morgan Llewellyn, Rhodri Thomas, Tom Slinger, Dyfrig Dafis, Sion Ellis, Rhodri Jenkins, Gareth James, Owen Wozencroft, Sam Evans, Alex Danton, Gethin Hughes, Daf Lloyd, Rhys Evans, Dan Lewis, Tudur Jenkins. Replacements: Rhodri Jones, Owen Bonsall, Justin Lloyd.