LAMPETER remain at the top of Division Three West A after they notched a convincing 52-0 home win over a Llangwm side that had travelled to North Road with a depleted side.

After a tight opening to the match, the home side cut loose to emphatically record their 11th league win of the season.

Ewan Bowden starred for the home side with four tries, and after a scoreless 20 minutes it was the full back who broke the deadlock with two quick tries that No 10 Osian Jones successfully converted.

Winger Carwyn Lewis also crossed the line in the first half, and Jones again added the extras to make it 21-0 at the break.

Lampeter skipper and second row Daryl Davies opened the second half scoring, before Bowden got his try hat-trick, and it got tougher still for the Wasps as No 8 Gethin Thomas and coach Bruce Evans, who was out of retirement again to fill in at No 9, both came off the field injured.

Evans did return to the fold to get Llangwm back up to 15 players, before No 8 Rob Morgan scored for Lampeter - and after Bowden got his fourth. No 10 Davies then rounded things off with a try. The latter added three second half conversions as the hosts again underlined their title credentials.

CARDIGAN 13 ST CLEARS 17

CARDIGAN’s recent progress was evident once again as they came close to beating second-placed St Clears in an intriguing battle at the King George field last weekend.

With just two minutes left, Cardigan were four points in arrears as replacement back rower Sion Owens made a dash for the line, and managed to get the ball down on to the edge of the whitewash. The official in charge, however, awarded a scrum to Cardigan, much to the relief of the visitors and their replacements behind the posts.

This young Cardigan side had a battering in the corresponding fixture away from home, but they have made big strides in recent months, and they came into this match on the back of four wins.

The hosts scored first when full back Llyr Jones, who enjoyed another fine game, slotted over a penalty - but the Saints came back strongly. They were camped in the home twenty-two area, before being awarded a penalty try after two Cardigan infringements in short succession near their own try line.

Cardigan hit back with a superb try from outside centre Rhun Phillips, following a break from the half way line, and this was converted by Jones to make the score 13-7. St Clears stand off Dan Griffiths, however, slotted over a penalty with the last kick of the half to reduce the deficit.

The hosts got off to a dreadful start to the second half as centre Aaron Tomkinson was yellow-carded for a reckless tackle off the ball, but his team hung on under huge pressure. They butchered several opportunities to score, and a second yellow card arrived late on when flanker Osian Rees was also sin-binned.

The Cardis looked to have weathered the storm, but were turned over at a scrum with just four minutes to go. The ball was spread down the blind alley and second row Rhodri Thomas crossed in the corner. Griffiths added a superb conversion to put his team four points ahead.

Cardigan came back strongly with fly half Iwan John chipping into the corner, and the visitors were forced to tackle ferociously to keep out skipper Tom Taylor, tight head Andrew Fletcher and flanker Sion Owens - who looked to have won it when he barged his way over.HAVERFORDWEST 23 ABERAERON 21ABERAERON’s promotion ambitions suffered another setback with a second consecutive defeat on the road, this time against fellow hopefuls Haverfordwest. Invariably suffering a little from a hangover after the cup success of the previous week, their cause was not helped as the injury jinx struck in the first minute.Second row Richard Francis was the unfortunate player on this occasion, suffering a head injury, which delayed the game by 40 minutes. It was pleasing to hear there will be no lasting effect, although his presence will be missed by the enforced three weeks’ absence.The restart, however, could not have gone better as the visitors raced into a 13 point lead. Two penalties by Rhodri Jenkins were followed by a try by centre Tom Slinger, which the No 10 converted.The hosts, with the slope advantage, worked their way back into the game, mainly due to a strong set piece. They were rewarded with tries from Mattie Phillips and Elgan Roberts, and Mickey Jones added a conversion to bring the interval score to 13-12 to the visitors. After the turnaround a penalty kick from Jones gave Haverfordwest the lead, and they increased the lead with an unconverted try from lively winger Jack Evans. Aberaeron regrouped in the last quarter and found another gear, which gave Jenkins the chance to reduce the arrears with a penalty.With four minutes to go they regained the lead as young Steffan Jones finished an excellent move with a try out in the corner. But alas, it was not be when the referee awarded a penalty to the hosts, and the ice cool Jones struck the winning points.

LLANYBYDDER 19 NEYLAND 7

LLANYBYDDER welcomed Neyland to Parc OJ, and were glad to register a victory to boost squad morale.

The two packs were well-matched, and worked hard on the heavy pitch, with both sides securing their own ball at the set-pieces. Both sets of backs looked dangerous when they spread the ball, but excellent defence ensured a low scoring match.

The only score of the first half was an excellent backs move by the home side, as they spread play from a scrum in the opposition 22, with left wing Luc Evans released to cross in the corner.

The visitors dominated the early stages of the second period, and were rewarded when fly-half and skipper George Williams broke the defence on half way, and accelerated away from the home defence to cross for a fine individual try. Full back Rhys Bradney converted to give Neyland a 7-5 lead.

This led to increased urgency by the hosts, and they kept the ball in hand for several phases, with backs and forwards combining well.

Eventually, Llanybydder were rewarded with two excellent tries by mobile lock John Evans, as he supported his backs in the outside channels. Fly-half Steff Richards converted both tries to give the home side a 19-7 lead. Both teams kept pressing, but determined tackling ensured no further scores.This weekend's Division Three West A action will see Llanybydder travel to take on Cardigan, whilst Aberaeron entertain Pembroke Dock Quins, Tregaron visit Laugharne, and Lampeter visit St Davids. Llangwm entertain Neyland, and St Clears host Haverfordwest.