Division Four West

Penybanc 26 Swansea Uplands 7

Penybanc dusted off the Christmas cobwebs as they hosted the Uplands in their first action since December 15th.

Conditions proved difficult after the heavy pre-match downpour, but the pitch held up well for 80 minutes.

Fly-half Owen Higgins landed three early penalties to put the Tigers on the right track before a comedy of errors saw the hosts spurn two golden try-scoring opportunities.

Outstanding scrum-half Ioan Jones marshalled his troops well all day and it was his break that enabled veteran wing Christian Hughes to finish off Banc’s first try.

The score should have been the catalyst for the hosts to push on, but the physical Uplands asserted more pressure before the first half was brought to an end by the referee.

The second half saw more of the same with Banc applying lots of pressure only to be met with a dogged defence from the away team.

Replacement lock Matthew Wrigley, playing on permit, barged his way over from short range after good work from centre Mathew Brayley to extend the hosts’ advantage and Higgins slotted the conversion to seal the contest at 21-0.

But Banc refused to ease off and in the set piece.

No8 Chris Jones benefited, breaking the gain line time and time again.

Hughes crossed again late on after a trademark Wayne Williams burst but the bonus point never came despite having more chances.

Jones and the industrious Gethin Harris proved the pick of the Tigers’ forwards while Ioan Jones and Williams excelled behind the scrum.

The club would like to extend their best wishes to forwards coach Mark Jones who suffered a neck injury during the game.