Division Three

Tumble 5 Pontarddulais 16

A spirited performance by Tumble was not enough to stop Pontarddulais from picking up the points at Parc y Mynyddmawr. Both sides seemed full of Christmas excess and several handling errors saw chances go a begging. Pont had the better of the early play with their bigger scrum and sharper backs and went into the lead after eleven minutes when centre Jonathan Lloyd kicked a successful penalty from twenty seven metres out.

Tumble’s forwards again proved their ability with some strong running from No. 8 Mark Kinnaird and driving work of captain Hefin Dumbrill. They came close after thirty minutes when, following a sustained period of pressure camped in the visitors twenty-two, they were awarded a penalty. Taking it quickly scrum half Chris Davies was held up short as was Gimblett.

Lloyd had a woeful day with the boot missing three simple penalty attempts and, with the Magpies winning the scrums against the head three to one, the second half promised much.

The visitors doubled their lead after forty two minutes when Lloyd kicked a second penalty and, two minutes later they went further ahead when full back Josh Goss entered the line to split the cover defence to score in the corner. The Magpies came back strongly through good forward play with Gareth Beynon and the abrasive hooker Rhys Lewis. The forwards kept the Black and Ambers pinned their own twenty two and, with three driving mauls coming close a score had to come. Winning a scrum the ball went blind and wing Adam Davies crashed over wide out for an uncoverted try after fifty five minutes.

Flanker Steffan Owen was playing well at openside and prompted his forwards with some good running. Tumble’s centre Jamie Gimblett made some good runs but it was Pontarddulais who had the final say when, with five minutes remaining, they won possession from a turn over and, hoofed the ball way upfield. The foot race saw the Magpies Richards outnumbered three to one and centre Davies got the final score, touching down before the ball went dead.

Tumble need to secure a victory in their next three games if they are not be drawn into a relegation dogfight.