WHEN Narberth replacement full back Nick Gale won the race to touch down for a converted try deep into injury time, he denied Newcastle Emlyn what would have been a fully deserved losing bonus point in a pulsating local derby battle.

The injury-hit home side really rose to the occasion and their well organised, aggressive defending had their esteemed visitors rattled on a number of occasions before going down 15-3.

On a wet autumnal afternoon both sides opted for a similar strategy of long kicks downfield to exert pressure, but fortunately for Emlyn they had the mercurial Shaun Leonard back in their ranks at full back, and his siege gun boot enabled Emlyn to return a number of Narberth kicks.

The defensive work of Leonard, working well with his two wingers, Llyr Davies and Llyr Freeman, both back from injury, meant Narberth were unable to sustain a regular foothold in Emlyn’s 22.Emlyn were well led by skipper Alex Williams, playing at flanker, and he was well supported by prop Emrys Davies and second row Dan Havard, but the Narberth defence just about held firm.

The same could be said of the Emlyn defence when Narberth had the ball, with flanker Callum Evans and centres Andrew Owens and Teifion Davies leading the way with some excellent tackling.

The discipline from both sides was first class and penalties were few and far between, although full back Ianto Griffiths opened Narberth’s account with penalty, and put another effort wide of the posts.

On the half hour mark, however, Emlyn were awarded a penalty themselves just inside the Narberth half, and up stepped Leonard to kick a monstrous 45 metre penalty goal to bring the scores level.

The last 10 minutes of the half was virtually all Emlyn, with second row Bleddyn Davies, prop Lewys Jonathan, hooker Lee Griffiths, and number eight Gareth Thomson effective in clearing out opponents, whilst the excellent throwing in of hooker Lee Griffiths enabled Dan Havard to continually win quality line-out ball.

The Narberth defence, led by centre Jack Price, could not be breached and as half time approached all Emlyn had to show for their efforts were two long range penalty kicks at goal, one by outside half Arthur Lennon and the other by Shaun Leonard. Unfortunately for them, both attempts went just wide of the uprights.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with both defences on top, but Emlyn outside centre Teifion Davies made a lovely outside break, only to be brought down by a crunching tackle by Price.

Centre Andrew Owens, along with flanker Evans and replacement Owain Powell, made some excellent low tackles, but approaching the half hour mark, home outside half Arthur Lennon was stripped of the ball on the Emlyn 22, and it was transferred to winger Gethin Gibby, who scooted over in the corner for an unconverted try, against the run of play.

As the game went into injury time it looked as if Emlyn would have to settle for a consolation losing bonus point, but for some inexplicable reason they hoisted a kick downfield, and Narberth ran back at them. They chip kicked ahead, and replacement full back Nick Gale dived on the ball for a try, converted by Griffiths.