TUMBLE RFC 26 LLANDYBIE RFC 26

Llandybie visited table topping Tumble on Friday night expecting to be tested by Tumble’s free flowing back line, and in a cracking match from both sides an entertaining match ended all square.

It was the visitors who applied the heat, keeping the home team pegged back in their own half for long periods. Hard running by centre Chris Powell and lock Merlyn McClelland kept the visitors going forward and captain Rhys Evans led by example in the tackle area.

When Tumble did clear the ball downfield full back Sion Thomas ran it back at them to keep up the pressure.

From their first breakaway Tumble backs showed what they were capable of by scoring a try by Rhys Lewis against the run of play, converted by Steve Hewitt.

Llandybie put the ball wide to Josh Watkins, finding scrum half Steff Jones inside who kicked ahead and was just beaten to the ball by the full back who kicked it dead.

Llandybie’s front row of Steve Thomas, Ethan Walters and Arthur Arnold gave a solid platform and McClelland picked up fifteen yards out to shrug off a tackle to run in for a try, converted by Dan Slattery.

Tumble collapsed a scrum and Chris Powell slotted the penalty from thirty yards.

Tumble broke away again to score a try through Kieran Jones, with Hewitt adding the extras.

With half-time approaching Powell added another penalty to reduce Tumble’s lead to a point at half time.

Territorially Tumble had only been in Llandybie’s half about three times but had scored twice.

Mike Tench and Gavin Criddle were prominent in the breakdown with Tench battling on with a knee injury.

With the visitors losing Slattery and Jones and Tench with injuries, Tumble came on strong whilst they made adjustments.

Tumble fly half stepped between props Thomas and Walters to offload to Iwan Morgan to score a try, converted by Hewill, and scored again with a good try out wide by Steffan Price.

Tumble flanker Steffan Owen was brilliant at the breakdown winning four or five turnovers.

Although 26-13 down Llandybie rallied. Powell popped over another penalty and Criddle and McClelland carried well moving Llandybie forward.

From a lineout Rhys Cann drove for the line brought down yards short but the visitors kept up the pressure, Rhys Tench threw a long pass to Nick Morris who drove through the last tackler to score.

The large crowd were enjoying this exciting game with a lot of Llandybie’s followers present.

Tumble’s centre saw yellow for a high tackle on Kieran Williams and Llandybie moved into the Tumble twenty two.

The ball was moved across field with Watkins chasing a kick ahead creating pressure on the defence. Llandybie turned the ball over and moved it quickly across field, Evans finding Powell to go over for a try to tie the scores.

Tumble had a penalty to win it, but hit the upright, and Llandybie defended to the end to ensure the draw.

Outstanding for Llandybie was Merlyn McClelland, but the whole side deserve credit for the fightback at the end, never giving up.

Next Friday Llandybie will entertain their Scottish friends from Grangemouth for their 65th meeting.