Division Three West A

Llandybie 19 Lampeter 19

Playing their first home game of the season, Llandybie were hoping to get some much-needed points to kick start their season as they celebrated the 50th year of the opening of their clubhouse.

However, visiting Lampeter were much fancied and proved tough opposition.

A missed tackle early on gave an easy try to Lampeter's Arwel Thomas and soon after Llandybie centre Huw Williams and winger Josh Cranfield clashed heads and were badly cut while making a tackle and both were taken to hospital.

The pack however was going well and put Lampeter under pressure.

From a line-out Dan Wigley took clean ball and drove through with captain Andrew Thomas in support. Thomas handed over to prop Dai Lloyd who crashed over, converted by Luke Yelland.

Lampeter had come to play but found Llandybie's defence hard to breach with 18-year-old prop Ethan Walters having a sound game, backed up by the whole pack.

Lyndon Davies and Rhydian Jones were their usual abrasive selves, carrying well and Mike Tench proved sound in the tackle.

Good pressure by centre Tomos Rees on his opposite number saw the ball dropped and Rees picked up, took the hit to offload to replacement Connor Thomas who scored wide out, again converted by Luke Yelland.

Lampeter fought back with a good try from Sion Lewis, converted by Thomas for a 14-12 score at the break.

Lampeter exerted a lot of pressure in the second half but Llandybie showed strong defence and two clearance kicks from Thomas which he followed up at pace could, with a favourable bounce, have given him another try.

Llandybie weathered the storm and came firing back with a lengthy phase of play orchestrated by Yelland and Tom Griffith at ten with carries from Jones, Davies, Tracey Lewis and Dai Lloyd sucking the defence.

They made good ground across field and a short ball off the back of a ruck gave a try to Tom Rees to lead 19-12.

Lampeter kept going and an ankle tap by Rees prevented a try while good chasing back by Walters prevented another.

However the visitors were not to be denied and scored a late try, converted by Thomas.

An excellent game of rugby, well-referred with honours even.

Excellent performances from 18-year-olds Thomas and Walters, and also Gareth Thomas at full back after only two training sessions, which gives much needed numbers to the Llandybie team who put up a sound display.