Narberth 27 pts.

Tata Steel 32

A much needed improved performance heartened the Narberth faithful, but an injury time try consigned the Otters to a 32-27 losing bonus point defeat at home to Tata Steel.

Further improvements are needed urgently to ensure Championship rugby survival this season.

Playing with a stiff breeze on their backs, the Otters took an early lead after 10 minutes, when wing Nick Gale went over the line in the right corner for a try which he converted himself

Steel levelled the scores with a converted try by flanker James Lock, before a penalty by Nick Gale restored the Narberth lead.

In a determined display, Steel bounced back with an unconverted try by lock Brett Thomas and a converted try by scrum-half Ross Pritchard

Both Steel tries were converted by wing Christian Jenkins, who also added a penalty to give Steel the edge at the break with a 19-10 lead.

As so often has happened this season, the Otters got back into the game with an improved display against the wind in the second half and made an immediate impact.

After two minutes, fly-half James Stephenson prised open the Tata defence with a sizzling break to score a superb individual try under the posts, which Gale converted.

Four minutes later, Jenkins kicked another penalty, but the Otters replied quickly when Nick Gale slotted a penalty between the posts.

It was all to play for and James Lock extended the Steel lead when he picked up his second try of the game, which was not converted.

The accurate Gale kicked another penalty after 48 minutes.

In the last quarter, Narberth supporters were jubilant when wing Jordan Roberts broke clear to burst over for a try in the left corner, which the consistent Gale converted.

The converted try levelled the scores and neither side had increased their score before the start of a tense period of added time.

A draw looked to be the likely outcome with the stalemate continuing.

However, the devastating blow for the Otters came at the death.

Unfortunately, a pass from a scrum was blocked by a Steel forward to set up a late match-winning unconverted try for Ross Pritchard, who notched up his second of the game.

Commenting after the match, Narberth director of rugby, Jonathan Dodd, said: “It was a hugely disappointing result.

“Some individual performances were poor and we lacked a lot of leadership. In tackling too high in the first half Tata gained momentum.

“Even in the last 20 minutes when we came back into contention we blew the game away with some poor decision-making.

“As coaches, we are not knocking the boys for effort, but we are in a league position where we do not want to be and we must dig ourselves out of it.

“What was a highly promising season some weeks ago is turning out to be a poor way to finish off the season.”

The Ken Morgan Architects Balcony Suite match sponsors, Eric Mathias, Peter Williams and Friends, nominated Narberth wing Nick Gale as man of the match and the other wing Jordan Roberts also had another excellent performance for the second week in succession.

The Farm Otters Holt match sponsors were the friends of the late Garnet Bowen.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Narberth are home to Newbridge.

Narberth fielded: Jonathan Morgan, Jordan Roberts, Steve Martin, Ollie Reyland (Gareth Owens), Nick Gale, James Stephenson, Rhys Lane (Jonathan Rogers), Dan Jacobs, Marc Jones (Dan Smith), Tom Slater (Ollie Evans), Lyndon Bateman, Alex Jenkins, Gareth Bateman (C) (Ryan Banner), Dewi Williams and Lewis Wood.