Division One West

Ammanford 16 Newcastle Emlyn 24

Ammanford welcomed Newcastle Emlyn to the Rec hoping to extend their five-game winning run and started in positive fashion, running the ball into the strong wind from the off.

After a period of sustained pressure and six phases of play, a break by hooker Ryan Williams was finished off by centre Andrew Owen to give the hosts an early lead.

Emlyn battled back into the game thanks to positive play and a series of refereeing decisions that left the home faithful scratching their heads.

A penalty from the visiting full-back got the visitors on the scoreboard before Ammanford were reduced to 14 men when on-loan prop Rhodri Jones received a yellow card.

The visitors fired over the resultant penalty to take the lead and, with the half coming to a close, made the most of their numerical advantage with a last-minute drive which saw the Emlyn flanker power over to score.

The hosts had the worst possible start to the second half when a line-out on their own 22 went loose and Emlyn’s juggernaut prop Arwel Davies picked up and batted away some weak Ammanford tackling to rumble over.

Ammanford came back strongly and a break by centre Mike Evans was finished off with a snipe from a ruck by scrum-half Aled James to reduce the deficit to 10–16.

Rhydian Morris pulled the hosts level with two difficult penalties, and Ammanford were back in the game.

But as the homesters went looking to break out of defence, the referee awarded the visitors a straightforward penalty opportunity for offside and Emlyn were back in charge.

With the hosts putting in one big final effort, they again found themselves reduced to 14 men when Tom Rees was penalised at a ruck under the posts.

Emlyn broke loose with the last play of the game to race in and score in the corner to leave Ammanford’s winning streak in tatters with not even the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Ammanford will hope to get back to winning ways next week away at Loughor.