ABERAERON got back to winning ways for their first league success of the year in Division Three West A, with a comprehensive 29-0 win over Pembroke Dock Quins at Parc Drefach.

It was all the more satisfying that the Seagulls controlled the game from the first whistle against a Quins side that was considerably stronger from the previous campaigns, and has been enjoying a successful season so far.

Their cause was not helped by another couple of injuries, hopefully not serious, but these were offset by the return of personnel in crucial positions, and the coaches will be hoping for further health improvements in a busy time ahead.

The Quins relied mainly on a dogged defence and it took Aberaeron well into the first period to break through. A series of rolling mauls gained the initial territory and a quick release by Tudur Jenkins gave scrum half Gareth James the room to bulldoze over the line to score.

The second try was not long in coming and again it was the forwards, marshalled by captain Sion Evans, that provided full back Morgan Llewelyn with the opening to cross the line.

The conversion by Rhodri Jenkins completed the first half scoring, although a scything break by Ollie Sawyer almost brought further success, as the cover defence prevented the centre from crossing the line.

It was much of the same after the break, with the Quins unable to penetrate a resolute defence, and continuous pressure on the visitors’ rearguard relented, allowing centre Dafydd Llewelyn to squeeze over. Jenkins’ conversion extended the lead.

The bonus point then came minutes later as the outside half spotted a gap in the defence, and a deceptive turn of pace to scythe through. A further try came in the closing minutes of the game, Tudur Jenkins being the benefactor, resulting once again from forward domination.

Having been shorn of a few crucial personnel over a period of weeks, the competition for places will resume, which can only bode well for the remainder of the season. Aberaeron play hosts to local rivals Tregaron at Parc Defeach on Friday evening.

CARDIGAN 17 LLANYBYDDER 12

CARDIGAN produced their best performance of the season to defeat Llanybydder and continue with their much-improved run of form in Division Three West A.

Just a couple of months ago the Cardis were still scratching around for their second victory of the season, after an early success against St David’s, but a win against Ceredigion rivals Tregaron in mid-November ended a run of five defeats, and they have not looked back since then.

This fourth win in five matches tops the lot as Llanybydder have always proved to be a tough nut to crack and so it proved on the weekend. Cardigan were almost unrecognisable from the team that lost 39-14 in the corresponding fixture. The faces largely remain the same, but the big difference is a rapid rise in self-belief, especially amongst younger members.

Coupled with the work of forwards coach Colin Horscroft, who sorted out the scrum and improved the line-out, Cardigan are looking far more competitive.

One player who has made a huge difference is powerful blind side flanker Sion Owen, and it was he who opened the account with a very smart try from a line out move. Hooker Andrew Fletcher took the ball on the burst and he slipped the ball to Owen who crashed over, for full back Llyr Jones to convert.

The hosts had another decent chance soon after this, but Llanybydder stole the ball at a line-out 10 metres out and the chance was gone.

The home lead was increased when, after some great carries by Fletcher, Owen and Ben Hughes outside half Iwan John made a superb break from a scrum and his show and go left the defence for dead. His try and conversion put made it 14-0.

Llanybydder, as expected, came back strongly with the likes of skipper Ricky Davies and Rhys Rowlands making the hard yards, and a try eventually arrived when inside centre Beddyn Jones stormed over for the try.

The visitors’ efforts to bag another try before half-time were largely thwarted by a succession of knock-ons, and these unforced errors seemed to spread across the team.

It came as no surprise when Cardigan increased their lead to 17-5 with a Jones penalty, after the visitors’ scrum had come under huge pressure.

There were several scoring opportunities for both teams in the second half, with Llanybydder improving as the half wore on - but they were kept out by some resilient defending across the park.

A second try finally arrived when Jones crossed the whitewash, and this was converted by Llyr Tobias, but Cardigan managed to see the game out for a deserved win.

On 15 February, Llanybydder host Llangwm and Cardigan go to Haverfordwest.LAUGHARNE 57 TREGARON 12

HIGH-FLYING Laugharne scored nine tries as proof of their potent fire-power, against a Tregaron side that was without several regulars unavailable to travel, after winning their last three league games.

The visitors played well for most of the first half, with an equal share of possession and territory, but could not trouble the scorer to the same effect as their hosts.

Laugharne play an expansive and attractive brand of rugby and the back line run the ball from everywhere on the field. Tregaron’s defence had to work hard to limit their hosts to three in the first half, with powerful winger Steff Davies using his pace and strength to great effect.

He raced through for five tries, two in the first period and another three thereafter, and converted four of his scores. Adam Davies added to Laugharne’s first half points tally, as 19 points were racked up in the first quarter of the game.

Tregaron created a few chances, but only one was executed when good midfield tackling created an error, which saw winger Chris Wilkins kick ahead, gather the ball, and cross over under the posts, with centre Rhydian Jones converting.

In the second period, the Pembrokeshire side took full advantage of a tiring visiting defence to score six more tries. Prop Tom Walters, Tom Jameson and winger Gareth Spires all went over, and Jameson slotted over two conversions.

In the last 15 minutes Tregaron had an excellent period of pressure, and they crossed the line on four occasions, but only once did the Carmarthen referee allow a score, when Ieuan Wyn Rees sniped over from a ruck on the five metre line.

The visitors never gave up and, with better luck and decision making more points would have been scored against a team that is set to push Lampeter all the way for the Division Three West A title.

ST DAVIDS 7 LAMPETER 60

THERE was plenty of fight from St Davids against leaders Lampeter as Gethin Bateman’s team started with only 14 players and finished with 13 on the field, after they lost centre Lee Phillips to injury.

The Saints conceded more than 100 points in the reverse fixture and yet kept things scoreless for 15 minutes - but eventually the visitors hit their stride and led 33-0 at half time, before adding 27 more points after the break.

The hosts did get a second half score themselves though when No 10 Rhys Morgan chipped ahead and centre George Raymond gathered to score. Morgan converted to cap a stand out display while player coach Bateman, front rowers Rhys Price and Dan Murphy, and backline brothers Shane and Luke Brooks had also impressed in difficult circumstances.

It was Lampeter who left with a comfortable bonus point win as winger Carwyn Lewis grabbed a hat trick of tries, alongside scores from second row Daryl Davies, No 8 Rob Morgan, with a brace, flanker Morgan Lewis, scrum half Huw Thomas, centre Tomos Rhys Jones, and wing Ryan Doughty. Thomas (4) and Carwyn Lewis (1) added conversions.

Lampeter are five points clear of second-placed St Clears at the top, and are nine clear of Laugharne, who have three games in hand. A big showdown between title rivals Lampeter and Laugharne at North Road is next up on 15 February.