A SUPERB try from full back John Lumb sealed a well-deserved 16-6 win for Cardigan over Milford Haven, as they joined Caerphilly, Cilfynnydd and Amman United in the semi-finals of the national Swalec Bowl competition.

The former Cardigan Town footballer brought a huge roar from a packed Gollop Stand as he crossed for the decisive score midway through the second period.

This was a brutal game at times and there was a flurry of cards late on, but on the whole this was not a dirty game.

It was a niggly affair, with a number of cheap shots missed by excellent referee Daniel Harries, and the large crowd that flocked to the King George were treated to an entertaining match, with the hosts providing most of their attacking flare.

Cardigan set their stall out early, with centres Emyr Harries and Marcus Castle hitting their opponents with some bone-crunching tackles, and back rowers Colin Davies and captain Llyr Griffiths taking the ball up at pace and ploughing their way through the Mariners’ defence.

It came as no surprise when the hosts went ahead in the opening minutes, when from a superb break from second row Dean Harries, Cardigan were awarded a penalty, and young fly half Llyr Jones, who had a fine game, slotted over the three points from in front of the posts.

Milford hit back when full back Craig Barnett fired over a penalty, after Cardigan had been penalised for a number of infringements, and their ill-discipline was a major issue in the opening quarter.

Minutes later centre Harries was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock on, but his team mates saved his bacon as they didn’t concede a point during that spell.

The visitors though continued to threaten, and would have scored had it not been for a superb tackle from full back Lumb.

Cardigan absorbed the pressure and they hit back with a superb run from right winger Alun Jenkins, and a try soon followed as left winger Dafydd Watkins crossed in the clubhouse corner after an excellent break by centre Castle and a sublime pass by blindside Davies in support.

Stand off Jones was unlucky as his conversion hit an upright, but the Cardis were well worth their 8-3 lead at the break.

Cardigan dominated the next quarter, with their back row of Griffiths, Davies and Kieran Hurley outstanding and creating several turnovers, and the hosts went further ahead when Lumb scored the vital try, with the visitors a man down.

Lumb almost scored again when, from a break by back rower Davies, Lumb was unable to hang on to a pass that would have seen him go over in the corner.

Fly half Jones kicked Cardigan further into the lead when he chipped over a simple penalty, after scrum half Arwyn Wilson had been felled with a high tackle to make it 16-3, but a succession of substitutions at a time when the game was still in the balance cost the Cardis their rhythm.

Milford came storming back with some powerful running, but they were reduced to 14 men with a red card for a high tackle on replacement flanker Gareth Clifford.

Another red was to follow soon afterwards when home centre Harries received his second yellow when he tackled late and the final 10 minutes were tense.

Milford reduced the deficit with a second penalty from Barnett, but they never really looked like scoring a crucial try.