Match Report

Llanelli 21 - Neath 27

Millennium Stadium, Fri 8th May 09 KO: 18:00

Neath 27
Llanelli 21

By Tony Poole

THE class of 2009 learned their lesson as they turned the tables on Llanelli to lift the SWALEC Cup for a sixth time at the Millennium Stadium.
Having lost the league clash between the clubs a week earlier at Parc y Scarlets, the Blacks relied on a huge pack effort to retain the cup.
And while by their high standards the season hasn't been a huge success, Neath retained their record of delivering silverware in each of the six Welsh Premiership years.
This proved a third cup success in the semi-professional era, as Paul Jones had lifted the cup against Caerphilly back in 2004 and Lee Beach a year ago.
It also formed the second piece of major silverware for Beach to lift this year, as he captained Wales Sevens to their World Cup success.
"We needed to get pride back, and what better way than to retain the cup," said Beach.
The prestigious man-of-the-match award went to Neath's dynamic hooker Ashleigh James.
For much of last season, James was a forlorn figure around The Gnoll, but this time around since returning from a loan spell at Cross Keys he has been on fire.
James kept Gerwyn Price out of the starting line-up, and his performance-oozed determination and no mean skills.
Lock Neil Edwards must have pushed James hard for the honour, but there again cases could be made for all eight members of the heroic pack.
Scrum-half Kevin Farrell nursed the pack in frequently getting them moving forward while half-back partner Arwel Thomas turned in another master-class as a tactician.
If it is to be his final appearance for the club - he also threatened to call it day after lifting the cup last year - then he has bowed out at the top.
In midfield, Luke Ford scored another vital try - and that was also the case in the previous three rounds involving Swansea, Cross Keys and Carmarthen Quins.
Ford has been the jewel in the crown for the Blacks since Cardiff surprisingly allowed him to drift away from the Arms Park at the turn of the year.
During the opening half the Blacks built momentum on the back of five lineout steals on the Llanelli throw while three were pinched during the second period.
Though Llanelli opened the scoring with a fourth-minute penalty from fly-half Luke Richards, video referee Huw Lewis (Bridgend) tasted action for the only time in the 10th minute.
However, he turned down a claim by Neath hooker James that the ball had been dabbed down even though a case from one television angle suggested it had been grounded.
But from the ensuing scrum five, scrum-half Farrell crossed for a try that fly-half Thomas improved on from the touchline.
Hands in a ruck cost Neath an 18th-minute penalty that Richards duly knocked over - but a key passage of play unfolded in the 30th minute.
Llanelli won a penalty, 40 metres from the posts, but fatally young scrum-half Gareth Davies opted for a tap and go.
And instead of Llanelli collecting a possible three points, it resulted in Neath securing turnover ball via hooker James close to their 22.
Flanker Lee Evans was involved before lock Edwards went on a long run that was halted on the Llanelli 10-metre line.
Second-phase ball went through the hands of half-backs Farrell and Thomas before flanker Gareth Gravell brought centre Ford on a superb slant.
The ex-Cardiff man shot through a gap to touchdown halfway out with fly-half Thomas adding the extras.
And the final was then won and lost in the approach to half time when fly-half Thomas sent over two superb penalties - one from on halfway.
That made it 20-6 at the turnaround, and basically Llanelli needed to score next.
But the scoreboard remained undisturbed until the 53rd minute when the Parc y Scarlets side constructed a fine individual try.
Scrum-half Davies gathered a Gareth King up and under close to his 22, and sent lock Aaron Shingler shooting into acres of space.
The Pontarddulais cricketer eluded challenges from both wing Jonathan Spratt and fly-half Thomas to score a memorable try.
But significantly, fly-half Richards sent the conversion attempt just right of the posts, leaving the score on 20-11.
However, Neath weren't about to surrender a decent lead, and nearly got over following a series of close-range darts from the forwards.
But in the 66th minute, full-back King charged through a chink in the Llanelli defence to touchdown at the posts.
Television recordings suggested that replacement flanker Haydn Pugh obstructed a Llanelli defender, but the score stood.
Fly-half Thomas converted for 27-11, but just like last year's beaten finalists, Pontypridd, this time around Llanelli rallied.
Neath just failed to get another score, and a kick out of defence from centre Nick Reynolds resulted in fly-half Richards winning the foot chase for a 72nd-minute try.
Fly-half Richards also converted and with the lead down to just nine points, 27-18, there was an outside chance of Llanelli repeating a notable fight-back against Pontypridd in 2005.
And with time ebbing away, they made a good call in opting for Richards to kick a 79th-minute penalty.
There was just 20 seconds of play remaining when replacement fly-half Matty James restarted - and Llanelli required a converted try from the final passage of play.
But a thrust down the right touchline came to grief close to the Neath 10-metre line with Neath wing David Evans halting opposite number Matthew Jacob.
And that formed the cue for Neath's loyal fans to once more paint the capital city black.

Match summary

Neath: G King; J Spratt, S Thomas, L Ford (K James 57 mins), D Evans; A Thomas (M James 68), K Farrell (T Knoyle 79); N Downs, A James (G Price 73), C Mitchell (M Jones 31), N Edwards, E Evans, L Evans (H Pugh h/t), L Beach (capt), G Gravell
Scorers: Tries - K Farrell, L Ford, G King; Cons: A Thomas (3); Pens: A Thomas (2)

Llanelli: D Newton; M Jacob, N Reynolds, M Brayley (A Banfield 63), N Jones; L Richards, G Davies (J James 67); I Jones (S Hopkins 67), C Hawkins (capt), S Gardner (A Hopkins 75), A Powell (A Davies 73), A Shingler, L Jones, D Godfrey, S Peters
Scorers: Tries -A Shingler, L Richards; Con: L Richards; Pens: L Richards (3)

Referee: Phil Fear (Fleur de Lys)

Man-of-the-match: Ashleigh James (Neath)