Llanelli retain survival belief despite suffering late woe

LLANELLI........................23 BEDWAS..........................28

THEY may be one place off the bottom of the Principality Premiership, but there is still a strong belief at Parc y Scarlets that Llanelli can work their way up the table and out of danger.

The club’s rugby director Paul Fisher isn’t panicking just yet, although he admits it will be good to have a week off before heading into a tricky period of three away games next month.

This was another match that slipped through their grasp, and victory for Bedwas allowed them to briefly move out of the danger zone in the bottom half of the table as they stung Llanelli with 10 crucial points in the closing 10 minutes.

“We’re two teams in similar positions fighting for survival,” admitted Fisher.

“We’re pleased with our attack, but we need to stop the tries coming in the opposite direction.

“It was another frustrating game for us and we had lots of chances.

“But our defence wasn’t strong enough and we simply weren’t clinical enough.

“There is a lot of rugby to be played this season and we are confident we can get out of the position we are in.”

A try from Bedwas wing Kane Teear-Bourge tipped things in favour of the visitors and the boot of the immaculate Joe Scrivens added the extras to regain the lead.

Scrivens then kept his cool to take his match tally to 13 points with a last-gasp penalty that sealed the home side’s fate.

Llanelli got off to a flying start and were soon 10 points clear thanks to a second-minute penalty from Ashley Sutton and a penalty try awarded shortly after for a deliberate knock-on.

Scrivens kicked a penalty to get Bedwas onto the scoreboard and then converted a neat try from outside-half Jacob Chilcott.

Bedwas then took the lead when centre Mike Callow weaved his way over, but they then lost Scrivens to the sin-bin for a breakdown offence.

Llanelli made the most of their extra man and on the stroke of half-time Kalum Evans levelled the scores at 15-15.

Sutton then edged the home side ahead with his second penalty.

Scrivens replied, but Llanelli skipper Nathan Hart crossed for a try that made it 23-18 to set up a tense final quarter. Bedwas kept their cool and Teear-Bourge’s try restored the lead for them.