What the Papers say - Huw S Thomas reports:
The Drovers set a new club record of four consecutive Premiership wins after beating the team that is one place above them in the table.
Expectations had been high that Llandovery could win and also get a bonus point for the four tries that would leapfrog them over the Cardiff side but they found the visitors tough and resilient opponents.
The driving rain and blustery wind made conditions very difficult but both sides tried to play an open game, electing to run and handle when often the sensible thing to do was to kick for position.
Winning coach Rob Appleyard made no apologies for his side’s tactics. “We are keen to keep the ball in hand and let players make their own decisions” said the ex-Wales flanker. “Although it may not have been the right approach in the second half when we had the elements with us, it is important for the players’ development that they have an attacking mindset.”
“We leave the decision making to the players and try to avoid programming them. That said, they could and should have mixed up their game in the second half but – hey! – this is another win on the road to get into the eighth placed play-off position. We have two games in hand over the Wanderers, are just two points behind them in ninth position and have a far better try count - 35 against 24.”
“The next two games will be big tests – away to Cross Keys and then a visit to Neath is a tough call - but the players are quietly confident of good performances.”
The one try of the game came just after Wanderers flanker Ben Rose had been yellow carded in the 16th minute for killing the ball. A close range attack allowed Scarlets flanker Johnathan Edwards to get his sixth try in six starts, fly-half Cerith Rees converting to break 100 points for the season.
Fly-half Scott Sneddon had given the Wanderers the lead with a penalty and he and Rees then swapped penalties to make it 10-6 at the interval. When Rees kicked another penalty, it looked as if the Drovers might pull-away.
Scarlets No 8 Josh Turnbull – a late inclusion in the starting line up - prop Peter Edwards and lock Gyles Vaughan shone in tight and lose but a lack of pragmatism amongst the home backs made things far more difficult than it should have been. A long kick to the corners or down the middle would have surely put the Wanderers under a lot of pressure in the face of the driving rain but few of the Llandovery backs put ball to boot, much to the crowd’s discomfort.
A stout Wanderers defence scrambled and fought fiercely and with equality of possession and territory, the Cardiffians crawled back into the game. Sneddon missed two penalties that would have tied the scores and it was the visitors that ended the match on attack without really creating anything good enough to get a result.
Llandovery ratings compiled by Huw S Thomas: H Thomas 4; N Clapham 5 (D Rogers 5), J Ajuwa 6, R Williams 6, M Jacobs 5; C Rees 5, G James 6 (R Walters 5); P Edwards 7, A Yelland (capt) 6 (E Phillips 6), C Cross 6 (O Evans 5), S Martin 6 (L Tonkin 5), G Vaughan 6, N Aiono 6 (M Harbut 5), J Turnbull 7, J Edwards 6 (L Phillips 6)
