Beddau 17 - Narberth 20: All Narberth players coaches, committee and supporters were delighted to hear the referee blow his whistle for full time. The visit to Beddau is always a challenging occasion and last Saturday’s visit proved just so.

The Otters had enjoyed both friendly fixtures leading up to the encounter, beating Llanelli 17-12. The team that took the field was familiar in many ways, though the first choice second row pairing was different. Jake Simm was getting married and captain Alex Jenkins withdrew with a back injury. In their place were Ryan Banner and Tom Powell who moved up from his number seven spot. Richard Rees moved to number seven and assumed the captaincy, with the experienced Steffan Phillips coming in at number eight.

Returning to the Otters and playing on the wing was Jonny Morgan, enabling Nick Gale to take his place at fullback. Also returning to the Otters was centre Jack Price after a season with Premier League club Carmarthen Quins.

The Beddau pitch has a distinctive slope which they use to advantage. The Otters kicked off playing down the slope. Beddau made a safe catch, moved forward and from a ruck, kicked upfield. Nick Gale safely fielded the ball and returned it with a fearsome long, high kick which the defending fullback failed to catch safely, enabling the Otters to scrum down on the opposition 22.

This opening period saw the Otters determined to run with the ball, with Johnny Morgan sprinting down his wing before being brought to ground.

Within this first five-minute period, the Otters put seven points on the board when Nick Gale came into the line and burst around the Beddau defence with an arcing run. Nick safely converted his try.

Beddau adopted kicking long into the Otters’ half and using the rolling maul. However, the Otters pack had been well drilled and were able to foil them.

The referee frequently intervened at the rucks, but it was at a rolling maul that Beddau suffered a yellow card when flanker Jordon Goodwin was sent to the bin.

Shortly after this incident on 10 minutes, Beddau put three points on the board from a well struck penalty by centre Hywel Chatham.

The Otters failed to capitalise on the Beddau misfortune, with play deteriorating and both teams offending at the breakdown.

Beddau seemed have to Lady Luck on their side with several forward passes out of hand and at quickly taken lineouts where the ball was thrown forward going unnoticed with the referee unsighted.

Then on 23 minutes Beddau suffered another yellow card which this time gave the Otters, via Nick Gale, the opportunity to safely kick three points, bringing the score to 3 -10.

It was not until 40 minutes that the Otters scored again. In the meantime, they were frustrated by being blown up at the rucks, bringing an end each time to their attempt to move the ball.

The next try came from a series of strong running moves by both forwards and backs switching direction when Tom Powell saw a gap and dummying as though he was a centre passed to Sean Jenkins who evaded the Beddau defence, scoring a fine try which Nick Gale failed to convert.

Then Nick Gale attempted to move the score on with a long penalty kick; unfortunately the kick was off target.

Five minutes later, playing injury time, the referee blew for half-time with the Otters leading 15-3.

Narberth supporters were pleased with this lead. However, the Otters were unable to take advantage of the two separate yellow cards. Attacks broke down for a number of reasons, with Beddau fighting for every ball, creating problems at the breakdown.

This season, Beddau are coached by ex Merthyr’s Lee Charvis.

Beddau kicked off, were able to regain possession, but were forced into touch. At the lineout, winning the leap, the Otters formed a rolling maul attempting to walk the ball upfield. Beddau disrupted, forcing a scrum where their back row swiftly moved around to hassle Rhys Lane and stifle any movement.

Both teams were competing for control, with Beddau attempting to make use of the slope. However, in the tight, the Otters were holding their own.

After 50 minute, Beddau scored their first try. The movement started in their 22, when they moved centre field and at the breakdown heeled from the ruck. They swiftly moved left and were able to stretch the Otters with their scrum-half Luke Jones, positioning himself close to the touchline, taking the final pass at speed to sprint clear to score. Hywel Chatham had an easy conversation.

This brought them closer with the score now 10-15

Shortly afterwards, Nick Gale had a further attempt to increase the score with a long range penalty which went astray.

The Otters used the long kicks which Jonathan Rogers and Nick Gale, along with Gethin Gibby, attempting to peg Bedddau in their own half. Unfortunately, at the consequential breakdowns ,the Otters were frequently penalised.

Then on 65 minutes we witnessed another splendid Otters try. Johnny Morgan, gaining possession near the left touchline, quickly moved right and passed the ball to Jack Price, who, spotting half a gap, managed to evade the defenders and, hoodwinking the remaining cover with his dummied passes, broke clear to score an unconverted try, putting the Otters 20-10 in the lead.

Ianto Griffiths replaced Nick Gale and from the Beddau restart safely fielded the ball, but he misjudged his position and was considered to have been outside the 22 when he kicked for touch, resulting in a Beddau lineout.

Beddau attempted to make ground, with the Otters desperately defending.

With Beddau attacking, a high pass was intercepted by Gethin Gibby, who, using both hands, attempted to catch the ball which slipped forward. The local crowd were advising the referee to award a penalty try, but instead, he issued a yellow card to Gibby and called for a scrum, from which the Otters gained possession and managed to kick clear.

The game moved both ways, but winning a lineout, replacement scrum-half Lewys Gibby fed Jonathan Rogers, who put in a massive kick, finding touch some five metres from the Beddau line.

Beddau won the lineout and won a penalty on 77 minutes which landed into touch close to the Otters’ line. Beddau won the lineout and, spreading the ball wide with the Otters down to 14, stretched the visiting defence, who were unable to close down winger James Davies who was able to sprint clear and scor. Hywel Chatham held his nerve, converting to bring the score to 17-20.

Clearly the Otters club captain was now missed with his lineout know-how. The final minutes were a torrid time for the Otters defensively, but with team work and determination they held out. They gained possession and managed to move the ball up to the 22. Hanging on to the slender lead, with supporters nervously looking at their watches, the Otters were relieved when the referee blew full-time, having shown great spirit to win 20-17 and gain a hard won four league points.

Praise must be given for the well organised defence, but the Otters could have scored more points in the first half if they had varied their attacks. However, it was a hard won and at times torrid game, with a strongly biased Beddau supporters constantly advising the referee who stuck to his own interpretation of the various game situations. The Otters have made a great start to the new season.

Narberth field: Nick Gale, (Ianto Griffiths), Johnny Morgan, Keiron Jones, Jack Price, Gethin Gibby, Jonathan Rogers, Rhys Lane (Lewys Gibby), Bradley Davies, Dan Smith (Rhodri Owen), Tom Slater, Ryan Banner, Tom Powell, Richard Rees (capt.), Steffan Phillips, Sean Jenkins.