AS-yet unbeaten Amman United stretched their lead at the top of the Division West (B) table to seven points after a convincing victory over the visiting Magpies at Cwmamman Park.
Latecomers would have missed the opening score, as Amman, out of the blocks like Usain Bolt, managed to score within thirty seconds of the kick off, Sean Mangan’s pass putting left wing Rhys Howells in for the opening try.
Hardly two minutes later, Tumble were caught cold once again as lively scrum-half Alex Williams weaved through a gap in the defence to cross under the posts for a try which outside-half Iestyn Griffiths converted.
This was a real departure for the home side, who have often been slow to start at times.
Amman’s rock solid scrum again proved their platform, the young front-row trio of Rhys Phillips, George Clarke and Cian Lewis excellent.
Tom Thorneycroft and Alun Lewis were also busy in the loose in a dominant Amman pack.Tumble were relying on scraps, Ryan Lewis and Ryan Williams earning some good line-out ball, but they had little territory or possession in the first half, and, under a continuing Amman onslaught on their tryline and numerous forward phases, a heroic defence couldn’t hold back the tide.
The inevitable third try arrived as prop Cian Lewis stormed over, Griffiths again adding the extra on 25 minutes as his side took a commanding 19-0 lead, although boosted by a significant wind advantage at their backs.
The visitors were then dealt a big blow when influential number eight Steffan Owen had to depart the battle with a shoulder injury.
Iestyn Griffiths kicked a penalty just before halftime to give the Reds a 22-0 interval lead.
The Tumble half time team talk seemed to have the desired effect as they had much more attacking threat and positivity in the second half and dominated large periods territorially; skipper Steffan Price got his side fired up and playing far better; centre Kian O’Reilly and
centre Dafydd Thomas made some incisive runs deep into the home twenty two; but ultimately, the home defence was stubborn and their good play yielded no reward, despite the hosts being reduced by a man for a period after a yellow card to hooker George Clarke.
Second row Craig Ratcliff had a good game for the Reds with some tigerish tackling and some handy line out ball won, but, with Tumble proving a stubborn nut to crack in the second half, the leaders were running out of time to grab the fourth bonus-point earning try.
However, with five minutes left,they did manage to achieve it when the forwards again took it on and there was space out wide for wing Liam Danter to exploit the gap to race in for the final try in the corner.
Amman have a rearranged fixture scheduled away at closest-rivals Cefneithin on Friday evening, March 10 (7pm kick off).
