Returning to Division One West after a season in Division Two, Tenby Tourers sponsored Tenby United couldn’t have asked for a tougher start with a home game against last season’s runners-up in the section, Llanelli Wanderers.

But, after a very tight and well-contested first half, with the scores tied at 15-15, the United exploded into action in the second half, running the visitors ragged and going over for four excellent tries and comfortably running out 41-22 bonus try point winners.

With a few new recruits in the starting line-up, Jevon Barnes on dual from Llandovery, Dan Birch on permit from Narberth and a returning Lewis Davies playing on permit from Crymych, Tenby faced the kick-off with a breeze, that strengthened as the game went on, in their favour, and defences on both sides dominated early on as they were tested by some early attacking manoeuvres by the opposition.

A string of continuous attacking threats, however, paid dividends for the visitors as holding on to the ball at the breakdown gave Jonny George the opportunity to give the Wanderers the lead, which he did after five minutes.

This early lead was extended as number eight Nicky Harris, who had threatened from the off, broke away from a scrum on the Tenby 22 and slipped the ball to Hefin Jones and some slick handling by the threes ended with winger Richard De-fillipo going over wide out for an unconverted try to make it 8-0..

With the restart fielded and a combined forward and back move taking play into the visitors’ half, an infringement at the breakdown saw referee Randell from Llanelli award Tenby their first penalty of the game which Ashley Sutton fired over from long range to reduce the lead to 8-3 with 20 minutes played.

Some excellent ball handling by Roy Osborn and Luke Dedman, which gained the hard yards, was then capitalised on by Sutton, who made a superb break through the stretched visitors’ defence, before popping the ball to the supporting Mike Davis, who romped over for Tenby’s first try of the afternoon. With Sutton adding the extras, the United crept into a 10-8 lead.

The confidence gained from scoring was quickly evident as centre Moritz Neumann started to cause havoc for the visitors’ defence when his delightfully timed pass to Jevon Barnes saw the winger just about halted as he got into full stride. From the breakdown that followed, there was a blatant knock-on by a Wanderers player, which went unseen by referee Randell, and as some of the Tenby players simply stopped, expecting the whistle and a resulting scrum, the gap opened up for Sianco Morgan to cross the line for a converted try, snatching the lead back from Tenby at 15-10.

This missed infringement obviously angered Tenby, who swept into attack mode and a length of the field move from the restart, involving Jonny Morgan, Scott James (who had come on earlier to replace an injured Dan Birch), Ashley Sutton and Joe Poole ended with flanker Andrew Cooke crashing over, aided by half of the Tenby pack.

However referee Randell deemed that from where he stood, Cooky was held up (although photographic evidence proves otherwise), but as it turned out the rub of the green that had not favoured Tenby all match was tossed to one side as from the scrum that followed the back row and scrum-half combined to put Matthew Morgan over for an unconverted try and a 15-15 game.

Tenby were now getting on top and continual attacking moves with slick handling, superb backing up and lines of running taken, backed by some astute kicking by Ashley Sutton, kept the Wanderers on their toes and questioned their fitness as the half drew to a close.

The kick-off after the oranges offered Tenby an early opportunity to maintain the momentum when the restart was falling just short of the 10-metre line, but was played by a Wanderers player. As play developed, a subsequent knock-on gave Tenby a scrum close to the visitors’ line and number eight Roy Osborn picked up from the base before releasing scrum-half Matthew Morgan to snipe over for his second try of the afternoon. With Ashley Sutton adding the extras, an early 22-15 second half lead was no more than what the rampant home side deserved.

The Wanderers tried to counter this dominance by putting a few attacks together, but a well organised home defence by the threequarters, aided by a very efficient back row and the odd usual dumper truck tackle by hooker Joe Poole, obviously frustrated the opposition and they were forced to revert to kicking from hand, with punishment being dished out in spades as Tenby counter-attacked.

One such threat by the visitors ended with centre Moritz Neumann charging down an attempted kick to re-gather the ball and romp over for the try bonus score, which Sutton added to, leading to a healthy and early second half 29-15 scoreline.

Tenby were now in full cry and the visitors were struggling to cope with wave after wave of attacks, involving forwards and backs, all gaining ground.

From one such combined attack, the scrum that resulted provided early clean ball and some slick handling by the threes released winger Jordan Asparassa, who superbly rounded his man and slid over wide out for an unconverted try, extending the lead to 34-14.

The visitors were now playing unstructured rugby, with their two playmakers being defensively exposed down the 10 and 12 channels by Tenby who had identified these as the main arears of attack, and another loose kick out of defence was fielded by Scott James who skilfully combined with wingers Jevon Barnes and Jordan Asparassa to put supporting skipper Luke Hansford over for try number six, which was converted by man-of-the-match Ashley Sutton, taking his tally up to 11 points and pushing the score out to a very comfortable and deserved 41-15.

It was the visitors who ended the game with the final score when flanker Josh Weeds capitalised on the numerous changes Tenby had made, to go over from a scrum, and with Jonny George adding the extras, with what proved to be the final action, it narrowed the gap to 41-22.

Tenby can be well pleased with their return venture into Division One West, with all players on show delivering on the day and, despite a nervous opening 10 minutes, slowly got on top and really came to life in the second half, going over for four tries, all from structured play.

The well-organised defence also stood firm and improved as the game went on, forcing the opposition to revert to kicking out of hand, with the back three of Jonny Morgan, Jevon Barnes and Jordan Asparassa, aided by Ashley Sutton, Moritz Neumann, Scott James and Roy Osborn, really making the Wanderers pay big time for using this tactic.

The pressure continues on Saturday as Tenby United travel to Kidwelly, who finished last season at the top of the league, but missed out on promotion through the play-offs. All support would be appreciated

Tenby: Jonny Morgan, Jevon Barnes, Moritz Neumann, Dan Birch (Scott James), Jordan Asparassa, Ashley Sutton, Matthew Morgan, Rob Clarke (Nicky Guymer), Joe Poole (Gethin Thomas), Lewis Davies, Luke Dedman, Mike Davis (Jack Clancy), Andrew Cooke, Roy Osborn, Luke Hansford (Barry Parsons).

Pics. Susan McKehon