Neath Port Talbot 3 Llandovery College 24 (From South Wales Guardian)

Neath Port Talbot 3 Llandovery College 24

9:00am Friday 15th February 2013 in Sport

Welsh Colleges Elite League

LLANDOVERY College stretched their lead at the top of the Welsh Colleges Elite League with this excellent performance away to Neath Port Talbot College, writes Huw S Thomas.

With the surprise 20-10 defeat of Coleg Sir Gar away to Coleg Morgannwg, Llandovery are now eight points clear of the Llanelli-based academy college.

Playing into the wind in the first half, Llandovery adapted to the conditions better than the Neath Port Talbot side with the forwards protecting possession well and carrying the ball powerfully Although the home side took the lead early on with a penalty from fly half Luke Price, Llandovery were back on terms immediately.

Good work by the forwards forced NPT to concede a penalty for not releasing and centre Owen Howe kicked the goal, before adding another to make it 6-3 at the break.

Playing with the wind in the second half, Llandovery took control and punished the hosts with another Howe penalty when they were offside at a ruck before swift movement and great support tore holes in the home defence.

A stray Neath kick was fielded by scrum half, Joseph Hughes deep in his own half.

Hughes fed full back Lloyd Rogers who beat two players before linking with outside-half James Morgan and wing Ollie Smythe, but it was Rogers who was up in support to score one of the tries of the season.

Howe added the conversion and a penalty after some Neath foul play before a quick tap penalty allowed Hughes – standing in skipper Dan Brooks - to slice through for a second Llandovery try and seal an important away win.