Rees shines as Drovers keep unbeaten record intact

LLANDOVERY kept their unbeaten record intact with a hard-earned win over Newport.

The Welsh Cup holders slugged it out toe to toe with the Drovers, but extra composure in a frantic last 10 minutes carried Llandovery home.

Both sets of forwards put in huge shifts of hard graft, with Llandovery No. 8 Iestyn Rees outstanding. Behind the scrum it was the buzz and energy of scrum-half Lee Rees that made the difference in a helter-skelter finale.

Llandovery led 8-6 at half-time, scoring one try through hooker Craig Thomas, who burrowed through from a driven line-out.

Full-back Jack Maynard kicked a fine 40-metre penalty, while fly-half Kieran Meek landed two penalties for the visitors.

When Newport forced a penalty try at a rolling maul early in the second half, it looked that Llandovery might suffer under the weight of their bigger opponents.

But things turned with the yellowcarding of Newport replacement hooker Will Griffiths and the home pack pounded away for a vital score.

Replacement prop Llyr Green eventually found a hole in the defence to tie the scores and Maynard added the crucial conversion.

LLANDOVERY  Tries: C Thomas, L Green. Con: J Maynard. Pen: J Maynard.

NEWPORT  Try: pen try. Pens: K Meek (2).