Division One West

Amman United 29 Loughor 17

Exactly 40 years to the day since United took on Phil Bennett’s star-studded Scarlets in the Welsh Cup at a packed Cwmaman Park, Amman’s current incumbents earned a much-needed and fully-deserved win against Llanelli’s near-neighbours, Loughor.

The crowd may have been significantly smaller than that epic day, but supporters got plenty of effort from both sides from the start.

However, it was the visitors who dominated large parts of the first half. They won some quality possession, and with the referee playing a good advantage, full back Shane Davies rounded off a good opening try. Peter Smiriglia converted.

Amman continued in defensive mode, but were made to pay for some shoddy tackling when flanker Ashley Davies strode in from 30 yards for a second converted try.

The hosts found themselves staring at a 14-0 deficit before ever really having got out of the blocks.

The half swung back before half-time however as Amman hit back on the half-hour mark when outside-half Rhys Williams escaped the visitors’ attentions and went over under the posts. Williams then stepped up to convert his own try.

With United piling on the pressure, one of Amman’s two forty-somethings, forward Matthew Wrigley, wriggled through under a pile of bodies from a close-in maul to get the ball down. The score brought the hosts to within two points of Loughor.

Amman’s greater fitness came to the fore as the second half wore on.

Liam Mangan and Steff Charles were excellent in a marauding pack while Williams commanded well at scrum-half and on-permit Matthew Brayley looked good in the centre.

Johnny Bevan’s neat break put his side on the attack and, after going through the phases, the ball was recycled for Williams to grab his second in the corner.

With tails up, Amman went for the jugular.

After a storming Charles run, a tiring Blues’ defence got sucked in, and from a scrum-five, hooker Doug Jenkins burrowed over for the crucial bonus-point try. Williams converted. The move to passive scrums following the loss of two props, gave Loughor some late respite, but the visitors were a beaten side.

Despite conceding a late Smiriglia penalty, Amman finished off a professional performance when wing Dean Williams waltzed through for a late try.

There were late injuries to Wrigley and Charles for United, who introduced youth product Daniel Jones for the final knockings.

The win took Amman to just two points behind Gorseinon ahead of the trip to Llangennech on Saturday.