Principality Premiership

Cardiff 7 Llandovery 44

The Drovers did the double over Cardiff with this comfortable six tries to one win at the Arms Park, writes Huw S Thomas

The bonus point victory was enough for the Drovers to leap frog Carmarthen Quins into second place and trail leaders Pontypridd by just two points as the season draws to an exciting conclusion.

The Easter Saturday meeting between Quins and Drovers at the Park has the makings of a mighty match with the winners likely to claim a play-off spot

Against Cardiff, Llandovery coaches Lyndon Lewis and Euros Evans fielded a side that was short of top players and were justifiably proud of the result.

“ A team is only as good as its squad and I cannot speak highly enough of players who have stepped up to the mark in the Cup win over Ebbw Vale last week and this week’s comfortable defeat of Cardiff” said Lewis.

Every man jack from 1 to 23 contributed to the Drovers cause in a fine display of attacking rugby.

Full back Mike Evans showed dash and verve, big Sam Soul burst through tackles on the wing, centres Rhodri Jones and Craig Woodall were as sharp in attack as they were solid in defence, little Lee Evans kicked a 45 metre penalty whilst half backs Gareth Rees and Ian Brooks combined smoothly and controlled tactics with aplomb.

Up front Dorian Williams bulldozed upfield, Tom Ball bounced around the park and Dean Howells completed a fine front row.

Richard Catchpole playing his first full 80 minutes for the club kept going till the end and formed a productive second row unit with the ever improving Llew Jones.

The back row of skipper Phil Day, abrasive No 8 Richard Brooks and Lawrence Reynolds were everywhere in the action with Day rightly voted Man of the Match for his selfless leadership in attack and defence,

Replacements too played their part with the veteran Andrew Jones, hooker Luke Lewis, prop Dexter Thomas Sean Miles and Jake Baker adding vim and vigour to proceedings.

And it was a tribute to the work of Athletic coach Geraint Williams that two young local boys in wing Joe Morgan and flanker Craig Davies never looked out of place when they stepped onto the famous Arms Park pitch.

The Drovers went 13-0 up with a try from Soul plus a conversion and penalty from Brooks as well as a penalty from wing Lee Evans.

Cardiff prop Lewis Smout got a try converted by fly half Jack Maynard shortly after the break before the Drovers cut loose with tries from Mike Evans, Llew Jones, Howells and Miles to leave Cardiff in tatters.

Aberavon are the visitors to Church Bank this Saturday where the Drovers will play their last home game of the scheduled season.