FOOTBALL

high-flying Airmen.

Though Llan once more gave it their best shot, the damage was done during the first half when three sloppy goals were leaked.

They did spread some cream on this fruitless run when Dan Cornish got a second goal of the season, but it wasn’t enough.

“Again we were unfortunate not to get anything out of a close game, but a young side is starting to gel and will eventually get there on effort,” said Llangynwyd Rangers chief Mark Jenkins.

In the Premier Division, Garw are one place above the drop zone after losing 3-1 to Cardiff Dracs at Lydstep Park, Gabalfa.

Back in October, the reverse fixture ended 1-1, but this time around the Blandy boys faded after going in front through a ninth goal of the campaign from leading scorer Lewis James.

Tommy Mclean made it 1-1 before the break, and his second goal along with a Joey Morelli strike gave Dracs all three points.

It condemned Garw to a ninth defeat in 14 league starts, and they’ll now eye a win on Saturday at home to Canton Liberal.

Meanwhile, Alliance newcomers Llangeinor have cemented a Division Two mid-table standing via three straight victories.

The most significant was a 2-0 win over STM Sports Old Boys at Llanrumney Fields with Rhys Thomas getting both goals.

Earlier, Llan defeated Llantwit Fardre, 3-1, at Llangeinor Park with Rhys Thomas again hitting the target together with key striker Simon Lock and Adam Worner.

Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Llan will be one of four locals sides involved in festive season league action.

On December 29, the league have stamped the passport of Cornelly Utd to travel to Cardiff Airport while also in Division One, Llangynwyd Rangers entertain Tonyrefail Boys Club.

And in Division Two, Llangeinor host promotion-seeking Vale Utd in a potential post-Christmas cracker.

In Nathaniel Cars Welsh League Division One, Llantwit Major beat Monmouthshire side Goytre, 2-1, at Windmill Lane.

Despite conceding after just 40 seconds to Josh Brown, the Windmillers hit back with a 22nd-minute effort from Josh Jones.

Soon after Jones was felled in the box - Anthony Rawlings fluffed the penalty - but he atoned with a 55 th -minute winner.

Finally, in Reserve Division (West), Penybont came close to relieving leaders Cardiff Metropolitan Univ of a perfect record.

Though the Students arrived at the Kymco Stadium with nine wins from nine, they were relieved to get an 86th-minute winner.

Though Bont were a goal to nil down at the break and trailed 2-0 early in the second half, goals from Matthew Smarty-Smith and polished Pole Rafal Pacholec set up a grandstand finish.

But with a point apiece seeming the likely outcome, the Students taught Bont a harsh lesson via clinical finishing.

Evan Denscombe, back from Vale Utd, was man of the match. CLEARLY the month between the trip to Pontypool and this, the Quins’ next Championship match told.

However, the two comebacks in this single game made for an enthralling contest and a heart-warming home display of refusal to accept defeat.

Third place Cardiff Metropolitan made fourteen changes to the team who battled so well against league leaders Pontypool, to face a Quins team second from bottom.

Home support saw Lewis Tutt make his 250th appearance. Alternatively, looming lock Matthew Davies made his 1st XV debut.

Piling early pressure on the young Archers, momentum was broken when a regulation pass was intercepted by Russell Bennett. Racing eighty yards, the out-half touchdown under the posts and converted.

During a twenty phases period of play, Quins were penalised for a high tackle and Bennett kicked the goal.

A response was needed and the Quins scrum allowed them to achieve this. Turning the screw a series of penalties were gleaned.

The Students then transgressed at a ruck and Jakob Williams sped off. Held up short of the line, Geraint Evans found himself in the midst of the ruck and burrowed over. Owen Howe converted.

Howe levelled from fifty yards after the Quins secured another scrum penalty, as they slowly began to take the upper hand.

At this point the hosts could have taken the game away from the academics, but sloppy play and thinking up front let the visitors off the hook.

Despite getting into promising positions, execution was not of the necessary standard.

A couple of driving mauls and one particular five-yards scrum that saw the ball kicked back into the grateful Student’s side of the set piece as the Quins were advancing were examples of this sloppiness.

To make matters worse, Bennett put his team back into the lead with a penalty just before the break.

A second fifty yards goal from Howe levelled the scores.

Again there were glimpses of the Quins gaining ascendancy, only for ‘ring-rusty’ inaccuracy to fail the hosts. It was critical for the Quins, once they got into promising positions, to make them tell.

‘Met’ are exceedingly well drilled and talented. Of course, their stern defence also held the Quins out.

They were also more comfortable on the ball, due to their multiple weekly training sessions and game time together over the past month.

Putting together another fine display of continuity play in poor conditions, hooker Corey Lewis surged over at the posts and Bennett converted.

Taking everything into account and entering the final quarter, overturning the visitors lead appeared unlikely.

Quins were desperate to put right the wrongs of the seasonal opener at Cyncoed, yet determination was not enough, things had to click together. Owen Howe’s clearances were enough to bring even the hardest-nosed forward to tears.

Whether tears of joy or despair depended on who you were playing for.

Home combination play began to gel and the sloppiness dissipated. It was pleasing to see Ben Davies cope in very well in conditions that really weren’t made for him. Rhodri Davies and Tadgh McGuckin work well defensively against potent opposition.

Yet it was up front where this particular contest was at its most potent and compelling.

Line-outs were an evenly contested tussle. The end result of the Quins impact at the scrum often resembled the carnage of a Quentin Tarrantino film.

The breakdown battle was a ‘bluechip’ contest between the back-rows. It was the Quins who just edged this area of play.

It needed some hefty carrying and Mike Owen along with skipper Steve Williams proved hard to stop.

A huge Howe clearance sent the Quins eighty yards upfield.

A maul and series of drives were repelled by the Archers.

Kieran Griffiths carried strongly and when he had sucked in more than his quota of tacklers, Matthew Davies found the space to force his way over at the corner.

Howe gave his conversion shot enough clout to reach the posts and the kick spliced the uprights to level the scores.

It was more of the same with fifteen minutes remaining.

It seemed the Quins weight advantage had taken its toll on the Students.

A huge boot, line-out, scrum and phase play ensemble brought the crowd alive and when Jay Ronan made it over the line for his team to take the lead for the first time, the roar was deafening.

The missed conversion gave the Students a chance to take the spoils.

They had two chances but lost one through a little inaccuracy and the second saw Jay Ronan steal possession at an attempted driving maul.

Short pops and drives saw out the final minutes in the Met’s half, for a landmark Quins win against a Championship leading light.