Fixture

PEMBROKE DOCK HARLEQUINS RFC 5 HAVERFORDWEST RFC 8

 

League leaders Haverfordwest came to Bierspool on Saturday and walked off with the spoils in a match in which no quarter was given from the first whistle to the last.

 

The Quins kicked off with a biting cross wind blowing from the West and with the game just 5 minutes old found themselves unlucky not get on the scoresheet when full-back Damien Miller with the line at his mercy was pulled back by referee Colin Phillips for a forward pass earlier in the movement which surely would have resulted in a 7 Pointer. The Quins were disrupting the Blues line out quite regularly with 2^nd Row Mike Davis being a real thorn in the side of the visitors. But it was in the scrums that the Quins struggled.Blues outside half Mike Jones seemed to open up the Quins with a fine run on 20 minutes but the Quins defence was well organised and snuffed out the danger. The Blues although dominating possession and recycling the ball effectively could not make serious inroads into Quins territory with back row forwards Barry Parsons, Stefan Halward and Joe Powell outstanding. With the half drawing to a close the Quins spurned an opportunity to get on the scoreboard first, opting for a 5m scrum after the Blues had infringed instead of a pick up and go, the Blues demolished the Quins scrum and the chance had gone. The Blues pressed in injury time but could not force a score and the half ended all square at 0-0.

 

It was the Quins who started the 2^nd half with a bang, after a fine run by right wing Paul Jonkers the Quins recycled 30 yds out and after a rap round move involving outside half Lewis Davies which sent young left wing Jake Griffiths powering up the touchline before linking with centre Thomas Doyle who kept up his hot streak knotching his 6^th try in 3 games. Lewis Davies missed the conversion. The Quins with a 5 point lead looked like they could blow the title race wide open but the Blues responded within 5 minutes when left wing Scott Candler pounced on a Quins mistake. A fine pick up enabled the winger to race in from 35 yds. Fullback Danny Morgan missed the conversion. With the score at 5-5 the game was anybodys but it was the Blues with 15 minutes still on the clock who grabbed the crucial score when the Quins transgressed and Danny Morgan slotted the resultant 30 yd Penalty. Crucial errors were now creeping into the Quins game which were costing them dearly as they failed to get any sustainable momentum going,however, they did have a chance to level but Ben Hathaway making his debut from the Youth team watched agonisingly as his attempt looked good until the elements had the last say.

 

The game was watched by a large crowd who could not have failed to be impressed by attitude and commitment shown by both sides and the excellent refereeing of Colin Phillips. If ever there was an advert for a change to a full Pembrokeshire League this was it, especially with all 3 results possible right up to the final whistle.

 

Team Damien Miller, Paul Jonkers, Thomas Doyle, Charlie Dearden, Jake Griffiths, Lewis Davies, Jason Scarfe, Sean Willington, Carl Williams, James Gardener, Alex Pierce, Mike Davis, Alex Pierce, Joe Powell and Stefan Halward.

 

Replacements, Dean Wilcox, Ben Hathaway, Darren Potter and Jack Davies.