A LATE penalty from Furnace scrum half Dan Rees clinched a narrow 16-14 victory for the visitors in the WRU Bowl - but Cardigan will look back ruefully at their inability to score enough points in the first half, with such a huge wind advantage.

The hosts started very brightly, aided by the strong wind blowing from posts to posts, and they were in the ascendency early doors, with their scrum much improved following some midweek guidance from former coach Colin Horscroft.

They did not kick with much success, however, and time and again the ball was hoofed far too long downfield and on to the adjoining football field - and the frustration amongst the coaching ranks was plain to see.This filtered through to the players, and an abundance of mistakes followed, but Cardigan eventually calmed down and they ran in to score a fine try.

Blindside flanker and skipper Tom Taylor made the initial burst and fly half Llyr Jones finished the move off with a smart dummy to touch down under the posts for a try, duly converted by Iwan John.

Furnace, making their first visit to the King George field, hit back with a gimme of a try when a speculative kick was allowed to bounce near the touchline, and from the ensuing play the visitors pounced for a five pointer to make the score 7-5.

Cardigan hit back with the best try of the game when left winger Mike Richards was put away with a fine pass from full back John and he scampered over to score.

Jones then converted superbly from the touchline to double the lead for his team, and this should have been a launch pad to further points to be scored in the first half.

This was not to be, however, as Cardigan handed out another present to the visitors with a charge down try to make it 14-10.

Midway through the second half Furnace increased their lead when scrum half Rees added his second penalty, to put his team within a point of the opposition.

The home team came back strongly with full back John in particular making several fine breaks, but the lack of quality in the Cardigan passing saw these moves break down.This was to cost them in the end as Rees kicked his third penalty of the game to put his team in front for the first time, and a lead which remained intact at the final whistle, despite a late rally.

For reports from all the Ceredigion sides see this week’s Cambrian News