Division Three West C

Betws 9 Pantyffynnon 3

A battling derby played out on a heavy pitch was never likely to set the pulses of the large crowd racing, but the hosts did enough to secure the win that raised them up into third place in Division Three West C.

Betws started well with the heavier pack dominating early on and they went ahead through a Daniel Griffiths penalty.

With the game being played mainly in the Pantyffynnon half, the hosts hoped to press on but despite creating a number of chances Betws failed to capitalise.

However, the 3-0 advantage became 6-0 courtesy of another Griffiths penalty it seemed only a matter of time before the valiant visiting defence was beached.

Betws did go over when skipper Paul Rees drove in from three yards, but the referee was unsighted and waved away the home side’s appeals for a try.

The ensuing scrum then saw Betws steamroll Panty backwards only for no 8 Gareth Rees to spill the ball in the act of scoring.

The second half was a similar affair but the tenacious Panty defence started to claim more territory.

It was the hosts who troubled the scoreboard though as another Griffiths kick gave them a nine-point advantage.

Straight from the restart, Betws conceded a penalty which Nick James slotted over for the visitors.

The Betws backs went searching for a try and full back Steffan Howells cut the line several times only to by denied by last gasp-tackles and a lack of support.

With the score 9-3, Panty launched a final assault and with a driving lineout nearly scored only for good defence and tired legs to keep them out.

Betws now lie third in the table and face the top two in their next fixtures.

Pantyffynnon meanwhile sit in seventh.