PHILLIPS: IT SUMS UP OUR WHOLE TERM
CARMARTHEN Quins head coach Emyr Phillips admitted his side’s home defeat by Swansea summed up their season.
A last-gasp try by Alex Jeffries secured victory for the visitors in a thrilling encounter at Carmarthen Park.
“We’ve had a really frustrating season up until now and today’s result was an example of this,” said Phillips.
“We’ve lost about seven or eight one-score games and I think today was the hardest one to take.
“We were two scores up with a couple of minutes to go and to lose from there is very disappointing.
“We need to learn how to close games out as we just haven’t exited well.
“We had three restarts where we lost possession in the first phase and that, together with the second-half discipline issues, slowly added up to a loss that we probably didn’t deserve but have to take on the chin.”
Swansea were penalised at an early set-piece and, sensing a huge advantage up front, the Quins opted for a scrum-five.
When the Whites gave away a fifth consecutive scrummaging penalty, referee Jason Bessant’s patience finally gave in and he issued Tom Sloane a yellow card.
The first-half theme of scrummaging penalties continued, but this time Aled Thomas successfully kicked a three-pointer.
Ed Siggery charged down an attempt clearance by Tom Ham but Dale Ford stepped into touch at the vital moment. However, Quins stole the line-out and Javan Sebastian crashed over for a try.
Swansea hit back when Gareth Rees tries to make a break and found Will Jones in support, but play was brought back for offside by the home side.
Phil Jones found touch on the 22 and the visitors mounted an attack, but after another offside offence Jones opted to kick the three points.
Phil Jones added a further three points, but normal service resumed soon after when the Quins pack drove Swansea off the ball, earning a penalty.
Aled Thomas restored his side’s seven-point lead.
Phil Jones replied immediately with a three-pointer when the home defence were caught out at the restart and gave away a penalty.
A powerful maul by the home pack marched forward into the 22 and the Swansea defence stepped offside in midfield. Thomas converted his simple effort at goal.
A scrummaging infringement by the visiting pack gave Carmarthen a penalty and Thomas kicked his side 10 points clear.
With time running out, Phil Jones kicked to the corner and the home side gave away successive penalties and Lee Taylor was yellow-carded. The Whites then spread quick ball out wide for Callum Carson to score.
Swansea were afforded one final attack and Matt Dodd took a line-out as his side mauled forward and Andrew Claypole was held up a metre short of the line.
Play was brought back for a penalty, which Jones kicked to touch. From the line-out Alex Jeffries touched down in the corner to seal victory against all odds.
Swansea director of rugby Richard Lancaster said: “It was really pleasing to get the win.
“The penalty count was something like 14-3 against us at half-time so we didn’t have a foothold in the game and couldn’t really put anything together. The boys were really frustrated.
“To finish the game in the way we did was excellent and I was very pleased with the impact that our bench made in the final quarter.
“To be within a score at the end of the game was great.
“The result was cruel on Carmarthen and we know all too well as we have been on the receiving end of those types of results over the last couple of years.”