Fixture

What a difference a week makes! After last week’s disappointing performance against Milford, Saint Clears came out all guns firing against top team Cardigan and for 20 minutes absolutely pulverised them. The only thing they couldn’t do was score, despite constant pressure and wave after wave of attacks, the home defence stood firm. A penalty from Geraint Jones was the only result of all the domination and this was almost doubled when his long range effort from halfway fell just short.

Inevitably such emphasis on attack left defensive gaps and on the only visit into the visitor’s half after thirty minutes, following a fumble from the otherwise excellent Will Davies at full back and a quick follow up tap tackle, the try line was at the mercy of the home side who were quicker to the loose ball and crossed for a score totally against the run of play. The conversion from outside half Luke Rogers produced the flattering half time score of 10 points to 3 in favour of the home side.

Cardigan opened the second half much more brightly and produced their best rugby which put the visitors on the back foot. A break from their lively full back Iestyn Crompton almost produced a try, thwarted only by prop Andrew Howells who appeared from nowhere to steer the ball into touch when a score looked certain. The pressure from the home side resulted in a number of penalties and a yellow card for hooker Dafydd Page and during the period when Saints were down to 14 and under extreme pressure the home side capitalised with a try and conversion which proved to be the telling point of the game.

Saints however, did not give up and with 5 minutes to go, following another extended period of desperate resistance from the home defence, Matthew Owens, produced the finishing touch for an excellent push over score. Another excellent conversion from Geraint Jones from a difficult angle reduced the arrears to bonus point distance and it was only the final whistle that saved the day for a much relieved home side.