Division Three West

AMMAN United maintained their advantage at the top of Division Three West with a hard-fought bonus-point win over a battlingTumble side at a bitterly coldCwmammanPark.

The first quarter proved an even affair, though Tumblehadastrongwindat their backs, allowingthe visitors to put the ball behind Amman full-back Gavin Lewis, forcing United hosts to counter into the gale.

Tumble flanker Gareth Walters was yellow-carded early on, but his side maintained the upper hand and kept the league leaders pegged back.

Amman finally did make ground when scrum-half Joel Foster’s midfield break got them going, but Lewis’ chip and chase narrowly failed, but the excitement was short-lived as United dozed at the back and Magpies’ full- backLeighton McKenna exploited the slip to cross under the posts.

Steve Hewitt converted and extended Tumble’s advantage with a brace of penalties - the first after Amman centre Richard Dunn was given his marching orders.

Ammanattacksweresporadic, hooker Doug Jenkins and Chris Rees combined well before prop Rob James almost beavered his way through only to be held up just short of the line.

With Amman desperate to reduce the arrears before the interval, back-row stalwart Karl Worsfold crashed over for a try, converted by Rhys Thomas.

Amman, turning round 13-5 adrift, started on the front foot and with the wind nowwith them.

Dunn’s break gave fellow centre Christian Madge a try on a plate before Dai Matthews and skipper AndrewLaceycombinedfor Foster toswing the ball wide to Johnny Bevan who crossed to push Amman noses in front for the first time. Thomas, whose conversion went in off the post, added two penalties as the resurgent United claimed a 25-13 advantage.

Now in control, Amman opened up as Bevan crossed again. Thomas converted.

An apparently minor skirmish late on saw a flurry of cards as Tumble’s James Stevens along with Amman’s MatthewWrigley and Rob James all saw yellow before Bevan claimed his hat-trick try.

The Magpies had the last word however when their own line, the referee awarded a penalty try which Hewitt duly converted.