Huw S Thomas reports:
The spoils were deservedly shared in a scrupulously clean local derby between two of the Scarlets feeder clubs. But it will little consolation to Llandovery that they got two points for the draw after letting a good lead slip from their grasp for the second week in a row.
At the Gnoll, the Drovers led 20-5 before losing 25-20 and on Saturday they dominated Llanelli in the first half only to be outplayed after the break and only a very late penalty by fly-half Cerith Rees saved the day.
Llandovery coach Rob Appleyard was at a loss for words as to how the Drovers had let slip a lead that looked decisive. “We must learn to stay ahead and not give teams the opportunity to recover. It happened at Neath and now at home to Llanelli - we build up a good lead and are well on top and then let our levels of concentration and commitment drift away. We cannot dare to let it happen in our next game at Carmarthen, who will be putting everything into beating us.”
Llanelli Director of Rugby Anthony Buchanan was sporting enough to say that Llandovery deserved the draw but was very critical of referee Jonathan Mason. “Llandovery gave us the test we knew we would have” said Buchanan “and two points apiece was fair enough but we should have had a certain penalty in a golden position to win the game.”
“The referee has a difficult choice in many areas of the game particularly in the contact area but offsides are far more clear cut and easier to read. He failed to see one of the most obvious of offsides when the Llandovery forwards failed to retreat from a miscued kick by fly-half Cerith Rees. With a penalty in front of the posts 30 metres out the chance to win the game was there – I think we were the victims of a very poor decision.”
At half time the Drovers looked to be heading for a decisive win. They had ruled scrum, contact and loose areas in building a 13-5 lead through a close range try by their best forward – flanker Lloyd Phillips - plus a conversion and two penalties from Rees.
In a rare attack, Llanelli had pinched a Llandovery line out and created a try for lock Adam Powell but after the break it was the visitors who took control, their dominance at the line out and loose as complete as it was unexpected. If Ford and then fly-half Steve Shingler had opted to pass to unmarked support rather than kick then Llanelli would have soon been in the lead early in the second-half.
Scrum-half Justin James was a real live wire, using ball quickly and decisively and Llanelli eventually took the lead 16-13 after a try by flanker Aaron Shingler sandwiched between two penalties from wing Dale Ford. The flanker sprinted 25 metres along the touch-line before riding desperate cover tackles to crash over in the corner.
To Llandovery’s credit they raised their game just in time for Rees to tie the scores with an easy penalty three minutes into injury time.
Llandovery ratings by Huw S Thomas: H Thomas 6; I Evans 6, J Ajuwa 5, R Williams 6, M Jacobs 6 (L Rees 6); C Rees 5, R Walters (capt) 5 (G James 5); O Evans 6 (C Cross 5/R Jones 5), A Yelland 7, P Edwards 7, G Vaughan 5, L Tonkin 6 (R Gierat 5), E Siggery 6, M Harbut 7 (D Fitzgerald 5), L Phillips 7
