Division Four South West

Pontardawe 3 Betws 20

There was festive cheer for Betws as they at last recorded their first and much deserved win of the season with a powerful performance orchestrated by on-loan forward Dylan Cooper.

The homesters started strongly and dominated the early exchanges at the set-piece and eventually took the lead mid-way through the half with a penalty from outside-half Dan Brymley.

However the visitors continued to battle and 35 minutes into the game scrum-half Steffan James broke from a line-out on half-way, and quick passing put wing Rhys Williams away on a 30-metre run as he squeezed past two defenders to give the visitors a 5-3 half-time lead.

Betws extended their lead only two minutes after the restart as a powerful forward drive, started by No8 Cerith Lilburn, was finished off by experienced wing-forward Paul Rees on an unstoppable five-metre charge. Outside-half Daniel Madge added the conversion as the visitors continued to dominate.

Betws began to exert pressure through the scrums which earned them a further three points through the boot of Madge for a healthy 15-3 lead.

In the final quarter the homesters applied immense pressure on the visitors line but the determined Betws defence that stood firm.

However it looked as if the homesters had got the breakthrough as they set their wing clear, only for Ashley Evans to appear from nowhere with a try-saving cover tackle.

Wing Evans was rewarded in the final move of the game as a counter-attack by veteran full-back Cellan Davies was spread to the wing whose electric pace saw him finish off a 40-metre run to the corner.

Betws’ game against Cwmtwrch on Saturday was postponed.