This was Kidwellys third consecutive league defeat, and whilst the previous two defeats were against the top two teams in the league, this was a game that the black and ambers were expected to win, but with Kidwelly ling comfortable in mid table and the cockle-men still not mathematically sure of avoiding relegation, it was possible the fact that the home team were more motivated, earned them victory.
Penclawdd with the advantage of a strong wind went immediately on the attack, and took the lead in the fifth minute with thirty a meter penalty by outside-half Gareth Jones, and within minutes Jones came very close to increasing the home lead when his fifty meter penalty effort went inches wide of the upright, Kidwelly struck back on seventeen minutes, with a superb three quarter movement, fullback Andrew Francis joined the line and ran strongly before linking with wing Mathew Davies, who raced away to score near the corner flag, the home team regained the lead when centre Stuart Barrow took a crash ball to power over the try line, near the posts, Jones converted, the black and ambers came back strongly in the final ten minutes of the first period, but they had to rely on the boot of outside-half Leighton Walters, with two penalties, to give them a narrow eleven points to ten lead at half-time.
Within five minutes of the restart Kidwelly had increased their lead, Walters kicking a thirty five meter penalty, and then with Kidwelly well in control, Walters was unfortunate to see three forty five meter angled penalties, narrowly fail, one heating an upright, the second dropping inches under the crossbar, and the third shaving the upright, never the less the visitors seemed to have done enough to hold out for a hard earned win, but with ten minutes remaining they lost focus, and the home team took advantage, from a line out close to the visitors try line, they set up a catch and drive, for number eight Richard Francis to score, and with five minutes remaining, Jones dropped a goal, to give Penclawdd a four point lead, which they doggedly fought to hold on to right to the final whistle.
D Dewdney
1st XV
