Match Report

Llandovery 8 - Neath 28

Church Bank , Sat 1st Nov 08 KO: 14:30

NEATH got back to winning ways at Church Bank with a hard-earned win over tough opponents in Llandovery.
Director of rugby Rowland Phillips was a mightily relieved man after seeing the All Blacks regain their form after two consecutive Premiership defeats.
"It was vital that we stopped the rot of recent weeks," said Phillips, "and although there is still much to improve upon, we played with far more composure and presence than we did against Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.
"Confidence is a big part of the game and this win against a side that has been steadily improving in the last few weeks will restore that confidence.
"Our concentration levels were much better and we hope that we can now put together a string of good games to keep tucked in behind the league leaders."

Former Wales coach Gareth Jenkins, head of recruitment and development with the Scarlets, was an interested spectator, praising Neath for their win but very upbeat at the efforts of a young Llandovery side.
"Neath are packed with experienced and seasoned performers and will be championship contenders once again," said Jenkins, "but take nothing away from Llandovery, who are full of young players learning the game.
"Success will not come overnight but Rob Appleyard is steadily building a side that will, I'm sure, be a force to be reckoned with."

Neath won the game in the first half when, playing against the wind, they controlled play for lengthy periods to score two tries and for fly-half Mattie James to kick a conversion and two penalties.
They owed much to the counter-attacking skills of full-back Gareth King, whose awareness of space and acceleration through the gap was a feature of the day's play.
King scooped up a poor Llandovery kick after just six minutes to make a brilliant run from deep which ended with a try for ex-Drovers lock Haydn Pugh.

It was King again who carved out an opening for wing Gareth James, who nearly scored in the corner, but the full-back was not to be denied, slipping through despairing Llandovery tackles for a try of his own.
Llandovery's best player, 19-year-old scrum-half Tom James, gave Llandovery their only points with a 40-metre penalty to leave it 18-3 at the break.

Ex-Llandovery College captain James then inspired a Drovers fightback with some darting runs.
With Neath skipper Lee Beach in the sin-bin after a high tackle on wing Owain Rowlands, Llandovery upped the tempo. Tom James put replacement wing Neil Davies in at the corner to make it 18-8 after 57 minutes, but no sooner had Beach returned than the All Blacks kept superb control of the ball through a multitude of phases to send in Gareth James at the corner.

Mattie James added the conversion, and although Llandovery shoulders never sagged, they knew the game was up when the Kiwi fly-half put over a very long penalty to stretch the lead to 28-8 with 15 minutes to go.
Flanker Lee Evans also went to the sin-bin after killing the ball at a ruck.
The All Blacks defended long and hard, none better than veteran prop Andy Howell, to complete a well-crafted win.