Tenby Tourers sponsored Tenby United travelled up to the Preselis on Saturday to face local rivals Crymych in a classic four or even five-point relegation match, with both sides desperate to come away with sometning to improve their league positions in the dog fight to avoid the drop.

The battle to avoid relegation currently involves six teams in Division One West, with the result between the last but one club, Crymych, and fifth from bottom, Tenby United, being closely scrutinised, along with the other games being played, one of which was between the bottom club, Tycroes and third from bottom Kidwelly - making for a key Saturday in the relegation battle.

With Tenby coming off a two-week rest, during which time the home side had experienced a win and a loss and crucially picked up seven league points, the scene was set for a titanic battle, but it was Crymych’s remarkable run of positive results that continued as they easily beat their fellow Pembrokeshire outfit, leading by 24-5 at half-time and then finishing with eight tries to the Seasiders’ two.

The Preseli Men had already won 10-3 when the teams met at Heywood Lane in awful conditions last month and this deserved double, which also earned them a bonus point, really improves their chances of avoiding the ‘dreaded drop’ as coach Randal Williams seems to have reinvigorated a team which at one time looked in real trouble… with the reverse now happening to Tenby as they sink lower down the table..

It was the United who made a positive start in the heavy pitch conditions, though, as they led 5-3 early on, thanks to a try by lively scrum-half Matthew Morgan to a penalty for the home side by centre Jake Jenkins.

Crymych, as needed, were able to raise their game a notch or two as their pack played really well and started to dominate proceedings and, with superb handling and backing up, they crossed for tries by Llyr Davies, Nick Bevan and Tomos Lewis, all converted by Jake Jenkins, sending them in for oranges comfortably leading 24-5 and one try away from the much-needed try bonus point.

It was a similar story after the break as all a very lacklustre and pressurised Tenby could muster was another unconverted try by centre Jack Guerreiro, while Crymych took the game by the scruff of the neck to score further tries by Gavin Thomas, Sion Colella, Osian Davies and Carwyn Phillips, all achieved through the continuous stream of excellent handling and backing up that the Tenby defence simply couldn’t handle.

Three of the tries were converted by Jenkins, bringing his match contribution to 15 points, while Gavin Thomas converted the seventh try while Jenkins was off injured.

With a serious injury to Matthew Morgan, which will put him out for the rest of the season, and centre Patrick Roberts and number eight Roy Osborne also leaving the field injured, selecting a side to face Llanelli Wanderers tomorrow (Saturday) will be a challenge for the coaching group.

This result really puts the pressure on a Tenby side now sitting just one place above Crymych, who have two games in hand over them, with only three league points separating the sides.

To make this result even harder to stomach, all the other sides involved in the relegation dog fight, with the exception of already doomed Tycroes, won their matches, which means that, while mathematically Tenby can escape the drop, it looks very much as if they could swap places with Whitland, who will be returning to Division One at their first attempt, while the United face the possibility of slipping back into Division Two, joining promoted Pembroke and Milford.

Tenby: Yannic Parker, Mauritz Neumann, Pat Roberts (Craig Barnett), Jack Guerreiro, Jordan Asparassa, Jonny Morgan, Matthew Morgan, Ethan Morgan (Lyndon Jones), Joe Poole (Wes Bonser), Huw Evans, Luke Dedman, Jack Clancey, Andrew Cooke (Barry Parsons), Roy Osborne (Charlie Patching), Luke Hansford