CARDIGAN fielded probably their youngest-ever team in a largely one-sided 43-10 win over St David's, and some of the new kids on the block acquitted themselves well - but these are still worrying times at the Gwbert Road club.

Coaches Colin Davies and Mathew Monighan worked wonders to assemble a full squad, with several players missing through wedding engagements, but resources are thin on the ground and alarm bells ringing in the Gollop Stand.

One of the smallest crowds in recent years were treated to a stop-start encounter, and the whistle happy official in charge had contributed largely to this.

A serious looking head injury sustained by Saints prop Dan Murphy in the opening minutes forced the game to be held up for half an hour, and this took the steam out of the contest as it struggled for any momentum for the rest of the afternoon.

Thankfully Murphy has been discharged from hospital and is on the mend.

Cardigan, who lost the services of hooker Luke Palmer Davies from the same incident, opened the scoring soon after the restart when flanker Sion Hughes stormed over for a try, converted by Emyr Harries.

Right winger Sion Jones added a second try soon after, when he intercepted a stray pass to run three quarters of the pitch to score, with Harries adding the extras.

Cardigan then needlessly lost loose head prop Scott Payne to a yellow card, for offering the referee too much advice, and St Davids scored two tries in this period.

The first was set up by outside half Scott James, who supplied the scoring pass to full back Rhys Morgan. James, on permit from Tenby, had a fine game, with some decent breaks, and was solid in defence.

A second try soon followed when a chip through by fly half James was picked up by Morgan for an unconverted score.

It was the Cardis though who enjoyed the final say of the half when Hughes sneaked over from a front of the line peel to make it 19-10 to his team at the break.

Promising young centre Justin Noble scored a fine try just a few minutes into the second half when he slipped his marker and showed a fine turn of pace to run in from inside the opposition’s twenty two.

This was followed up by a try for co-centre Emyr Harries after number eight Colin Davies had initiated proceedings with a telling break. Further tries from winger William Delve, after slicks hands from prop Richard Jones, and replacement wing Rhydian Jenkins sealed the victory, but there will be stiffer tests to come.