Milford Haven 38 pts. Pembroke Dock Quins 22

The Mariners kept up their promotion hopes with a hard fought victory against a Quins side that pushed them to the limit in a game that was a pleasure to watch.

The home side kicked off with the wind behind them and immediately put the Quins under pressure, and with just seven minutes on the clock, the Mariners’ second row Chris Hall forced his way over for a try wide out.

Scrum-half Dan McClelland converted with a magnificent kick considering the conditions.

The Quins, though, hit back almost immediately when outside-half Jake Griffiths brushed aside tacklers to score his fourth try of the season from close range; he was unlucky with the conversion as it faded away at the last second.

The Mariners were starting to look dangerous as they tested the Quins defence to the limit.

Soon second row Ben Groves finished off a fine move by scoring wide out and McClelland ignored the conditions to slot over another fine conversion.

The Quins, though, were soon on the front foot, with their driving mauls causing plenty of problems to the home side, and it was not long before they struck when full-back Liam Hargreaves-Gibson rounded off a fine move and touched down in Milford’s bottom corner. Griffiths missed the almost impossible conversion.

With the score at 14-10, the game was up for grabs, but Groves was soon at it again, touching down wide out with a carbon copy of his first try, and again McClelland converted.

At 21-10 it looked like being a difficult afternoon for the Quins, but the visitors then scored the try of the match, and one which would have graced any game.

When the ball reached Arron Cookson on the halfway line, there did not seem to be much on, but the young centre put up a high kick for left wing Rhys Bradney to chase, and the youngster, without breaking stride, grabbed the ball which was partly behind him and outstripped the Mariners defence to touch down in the corner for a spectacular unconverted try.

But unfortunately for the Quins, Groves touched down again just before the break. This time it went unconverted, so the teams went in at the break with the Mariners leading 26-15.

The Quins had the wind to face as the second half started and were soon in trouble when right wing Craig Thomas touched down for an unconverted try with the half just five minutes old.

With the score at 31-15, it looked like a mountain to climb for the Quins, but they were soon hammering away at the Mariners’ line, and it was no surprise when flanker Hywel Baker scored near the posts. Griffiths converted and it was game on.

The Quins, with a bonus point in the bag, had it all to play for, as confidence was high, but the Mariners are not at the top of the pile for nothing and when McClelland touched down for a try which he converted himself late on, the game was up for the Quins.

The match was a fine advert for local rugby, and was a game all the spectators enjoyed, despite the cold, windy weather.

Quins team: Liam Hargreaves-Gibson, Dan Goodridge, Arron Cookson, Thomas Doyle (capt), Rhys Bradney, Jake Griffiths, James Skeels, Stefan Halward, Hywel Baker, Neil Brace, Darren Potter, Sam James, Mark Van Rhyn, Josh Boswell, Jack Davies.