Huw S Thomas reports:
Llandovery shook off the disappointment of the heavy defeat at the hands of Cross Keys the previous week to record their second league win in four matches. The win moved the Drovers up the table to 9th and they will have a further opportunity to climb more when they entertain bottom but one side Llanelli on Saturday.
There are no fewer than eight teams tied on 6 league points and with two home games to come v Llanelli and then Cardiff, the Drovers must have a good chance of reeling off three wins in a row.
On Saturday, they outscored their Gwent visitors by three tries to nil, testimony to their ability to take their chances better and their more disciplined defence, rather than any dominance of the game.
Coach Iestyn Thomas paid tribute to the way his charges had relegated the Cross Keys game to the back of their minds. "The boys worked hard in mid-week and even without our two front-line props we put in a huge effort from 1 to 15. We look forward to entertaining our fellow Scarlets feeder club Llanelli," smiled Thomas.
The stars of the show were the vastly experienced three times capped Vernon Cooper at lock and the wily Rob Walters at scrum-half. They were the essential difference between the two sides, Cooper immensely strong and rugged in the loose exchanges and Walters reading the game cleverly in both attack and defence.
South African centre Jacobus van Wyk was another to shine, grabbing two first half tries with some bullish runs that helped establish a 18-9 interval lead for the Drovers.
When fly-half Andrew James kicked his fourth penalty soon after the break and Drovers lock Arwel Davies was sin-binned, Bedwas were back in it. The home defence was up to the task and the replacements, flanker Eifion Gwynne and No 8 Gareth Bennett, made vital defensive contributions in the last quarter. Gwynne in particular made some fine tackles to emphasise how lucky the Drovers are to have both him and Gareth Willians as open side flankers.
The Drovers front row creaked at the scrums but poor Bedwas options and a decisive home try from ever alert wing Owain Rowlands after a Walters interception and run, quashed all hope of a late upset.
