Betws 43 – Swansea Uplands 10

Betws recovered from their heavy semi-final defeat in the mid-week Brains Plate Competition to rivals Ystradgynlais and were back to full strength to over-power lowly Swansea Uplands. This bonus point win maintained their promotion ambitions.

Improved Swansea Uplands started strongly putting the home team under pressure through their big pack of forwards and deservedly took the lead after 10 minutes. Influential Australian No 8 James Blanchard took a misdirected home lineout and powered over from short range to open the scoring.

Betws hit back after 15 minutes play when second-row Joe Adams supplied the lineout platform for centre Gary Davies to break through and score, with outside half Phi Saunders adding the conversion. The game was unfortunately disrupted at this point when visiting captain and Amman Valley teacher Paul Beck suffered a serious leg injury with the inevitable long delay affecting the game. Betws eventually increased the lead when their superior scrummaging power earned them a penalty try. Saunders added the conversion to make the half time score 14 – 5.

The second half saw the homesters stepping up a gear with wing Mark Thomas scoring after 5 minutes when he used his strength to power through a couple of tackles to score. Shortly after No 8 Dan Howells drove on from another powerful scrum before offloading to centre Gavin Davies who again broke through to score.

Mid-way through the half the power of the home scrum was beginning to tell and Dan Howells was awarded when he scored from another powerful run. Saunders again converted making it 31 – 5. The visitors reduced the deficit when second row Neil Hixon was driven over from a quickly taken short range penalty, but the home team’s superior fitness began to tell in the closing stages and centre Cellan Davies scored a trademark interception try from 40 metres.

The visitors battled gamely to the end but replacement wing forward Wayne Comley picked up a loose ball at a ruck and demonstrated he still had the pace of a wing to sprint 80 metres to the line. Full back Mathew Rees added the conversion for a comfortable but subdued 43 – 10 win. This coming Saturday sees Betws travelling to Gowerton as they strive for another bonus point win in Division 5 South West.