MILFORD Haven returned to league action entertaining Carmarthen Athletic at the Observatory Ground, Hakin, on Saturday (Oct 22) on the back of a fantastic away win at Pyle in the Welsh Cup.
Determined to get their first home win of the season, the lads took the field in their changed kit of blue and white to avoid a clash with the Athletic who were in black and red.
With the adverse weather coming in early the conditions could only be described as atrocious with a deluge of rain and wind blowing in off the Haven.
For the majority of the first half Milford (playing into the wind) were extremely disciplined, carrying hard and exiting with control.
James Sheen, making his home debut on the right wing, made some excellent early carries, with the squad putting in an aggressive defensive shift shutting out the Athletic for the majority of the first half.
The centre pairing of Dan Jenkins and Dan Birch were ferocious in defence along with Dewi Williams who put in supreme shifts of tackling and carries to keep the Athletic defence honest.
With about 5 mins to go before half time the Athletic managed to make inroads close to the Mariners line resulting in Gareth Isaac eventually crashing over by the posts and with the conversion from Tom Davies, they ended the half 7 points to nil up.
Not disheartened with the half time score and now playing with the wind, Milford scrummaged well and secured solid lineout ball, resulting in them gaining the upper hand in this area.
With James Williams, Lee Riley and Dan Birch making some excellent territorial kicks the Mariners kept on nudging forward.
With the Mariners coaching team Utilising sub rotation the Match day Squad of 20 all put a shift in. With Scott Buirds and Dan Birch continuing to carry hard, making in roads in to the Athletics defence.
The Mariners then got their rewards for a concerted period of pressure.
A backline move going left to right started to penetrate the resolute Athletic’s defence, however the move broke down, but with a bit of quick thinking from James Willliams, showing superb composure he placed a kick through to the top right corner (on the bounce) which Kyren Gray pounced on to dive over in the corner to score.
However, the Mariners were unable to convert.
The game continued to ebb and flow in wet, blustery conditions, with both teams trying to move the ball and play rugby, but it was the Mariners who continued to press and assert pressure at set piece.
With several of the Mariners players making good runs, including Jamie Lewis who entered the fray at Half time at full back the players could sense that further points were on the cards.
With 15 minutes to go the Mariners’ earned a penalty approximately 45 metres out. Milford faced a choice of kicking to touch or going for goal.
They chose the latter and cometh the hour cometh the man as James Williams stepped up and backed himself to slot 3 points putting the Mariners in to the lead 8 points to 7.
The Mariners continued to control the remaining 15 minutes, until 3 minutes into injury time when the Mariners spilled the ball allowing the Athletic to make progress into the Mariners half.
It was at this point the Drama unfolded with the Athletic awarded a penalty approximately 35 metres out to the right hand side of the posts. This was called as the last play of the game.
So with all the Mariners players, coaches and supporters holding their breaths, the last kick of the game was taken. The Athletic kicker pulled his kick well to the right of the posts resulting in the Mariners holding on to a well deserved win.
