PEMBROKE DOCK HARLEQUINS 20 pts. CARDIGAN 22

Pembroke Dock Quins went down to their first home defeat of the season, despite outscoring the visitors three-one in the try count.

The Quins got off to a fine start, and when the visitors were caught offside after just five minutes, outside-half Lewis Davies put the resultant penalty straight between the posts to bring up his 50 points for the season.

But just two minutes later it was the Teifisiders who responded with a penalty of their own when the Quins were caught offside, outside-half Iestyn Crompton duly obliging to level the scores at 3-3.

The Quins were once again giving away far too many penalties and were dealt a warning when Iestyn Crompton struck an upright with a difficult kick, but he soon made amends when he put over a simple penalty on 20 minutes to put his side in the lead.

Five minutes later, the Quins struck with the first try of the match when flanker Stefan Halwood, who was having a superb game, powered over from 15 yards to touch down near the posts. Lewis Davies converted to put the Quins 10-6 in front.

The Quins were now starting to look far more dangerous in attack and when scrum-half Elliot Lewis switched play to the blindside from a scrum, fullback Damien Miller sped away from 40 yards out, beating would-be tacklers, to touch down in the corner.

Lewis Davies missed the conversion, which was nigh on impossible with the wind blowing into his face.

With the score now 15-6 in the Quins’ favour, things were looking up for the home side, But the last five minutes of the half were to prove crucial to the final outcome of the game, as in that period Cardigan left winger Llyr Jones put over a fine long range penalty to bring the score back to 15-9, and then right on 40 minutes, Iestyn Crompton knocked over another penalty to bring the scores even closer as the half-time whistle approached.

The Quins, though, had an opportunity with a penalty of their own with the last kick of the half, but sadly Lewis Davies pushed his kick just wide.

With only three points in it, the game was anybody’s game.

On 45 minutes, Iestyn Crompton pushed a kick wide as the Quins were still giving away far too many penalties. Fifteen minutes into the half, the visitors struck when livewire fulback Alun Jenkins took advantage of a Quins mix-up on the halfway line to race away for a fine try, which was converted by Iestyn Crompton to put the score 15-19 in the visitors favour.

Ten minutes later he punished the Quins again with another penalty.

At 15-22 things did not look great for the Quins, but 10 minutes from time they scored a superb try. Damien Miller broke from the halfway line and put in a brilliantly weighted grubber kick, before left wing Jake Griffiths, showing remarkable composure, controlled it first with his foot before touching down for his first try for the Quins. Hooker Neil Brace just failed to bring the scores level with a fine attempt from the touchline.

The Quins now had it all to play for; a fourth try would not only bring victory, but a bonus point as well, but sadly it was not to be.

The Quins once again will be disappointed with the amount of penalties they gave away in a game, which as the try count suggests, they really should have won.

Team: Damien Miller, Danny Woods, Jack Price, Thomas Doyle, Jake Griffiths, Lewis Davies, Elliot Lewis, Ian Osbourne, Neil Brace (Capt), James Gardener, Alex Pierce, Mike Davis, Stefan Halwood, Kevin Bratcher, Barry Parsons. Replacements - Dai Moseley, Harry Owen, Gareth Clark.