ST CLEARS closed the gap to league leaders Haverfordwest on Saturday (Apr 9) as they beat Pembroke Dock Quins 52-19.
The Quins travelled to St Clears, and put in a fine performance, with the final scoreline not doing justice to the young Quins team.
It was the Quins who started off the brighter, and it was not until the 15th minute that the Saints with their first real attack got on the score sheet, when Centre Shane Morgan forced his way over from close range, Outside Half Dan Griffiths missed the conversion.
This did not deter the Quins one bit as they went back on the offensive and really should have scored when Centre Jack Price burst straight through the middle but they were one pass away from scoring under the posts.
On the half hour came disaster for the Quins, as an interception try by Shane Morgan, and conversion by Dan Griffiths put his side 12-0 up.
The Quins were still in it, spurning two kickable penalties in the search for higher rewards.
Just as half time loomed the Saints grabbed their third try through Left Wing Jonathan Gosling which was converted by Dan Griffiths to put the Saints 17-0 up at the Break.
The Quins could not have got off to a better start to the second half, when Jack Price, taking three would-be tacklers with him, scored wide out. Full Back Euan MacDonald converted with a fine kick,17-7.
At this stage and the way they were playing it looked like the Quins could get something out of the game.
On 50 minutes the Saints grabbed the all important bonus point when Captain and Prop Gareth Jones powered over for a try converted by Dan Griffiths.
Five minutes later No8 Will Icke grabbed his side’s fifth try again from close range and Dan Griffiths slotted the conversion to put his side 31-7 in front, and the Game seemingly out of reach for the Quins.
The Quins though grabbed the next score when Jack Price went over for his second try, Euan MacDonald added the extras to peg back the score to 31-14.
Sadly for the Quins the Saints scored virtually from the kick oiff when Shane Morgan grabbed his Hat trick try, Dan Griffiths converted to stretch his side’s lead to 38-14.
The Quins hit back once again, after they disrupted the Saints line out the ball popped straight into the hands of Flanker Liam Scourfield who sped in unnopposed from 25 yards out to touch down wide out, Euan MacDonald missed the difficult conversion.
For the Quins it was now all about getting four tries for a bonus point. In the last 10 minutes, they tried everything with some high risk rugby but it came to nothing as the Saints ran in two more tries through Left Wing Aled Owen and replacement Centre Dominic Davies, both converted by Dan Griffiths.
It was a fine performance from the Quins against a side second in the league but the luck just seemed to desert them at times.
There were some fantastic performances especially by Flanker Jordan Palmer who was a thorn in the opposition all afternoon. Experience was a key factor in the outcome of the match.
The Quins can now can lick their wounds and get ready for league leaders Haverfordwest who come to Bierspool on Easter Saturday (Apr 16) for the Quarter Final of the Pembrokeshire KO Cup.
