DROVERS BANK ON SOME HOME COMFORTS IN PLAY-OFF
LLANDOVERY were again in fluent form but had to fight hard to resist the firmest of challenges from an Aberavon side which had beaten them 24-15 at Church Bank last month in the Indigo Premiership.
The league leaders, who have now won 18 of their 21 games, have just the one game left, against Newport on 6 May.
The Drovers outscored Aberavon seven tries to five and in so doing all but assured themselves of a home draw in the play-offs on 14 May.
Play was fast and furious from the very start in perfect conditions and Llandovery were soon ahead when a close range scrum made room for wing Rhodri Wall to squeeze over wide out, full back Jack Maynard converting. Aberavon hit back almost immediately when a kick ahead from scrumhalf Iwan Temblett was seized upon by full-back Steff Andrews for a try, converted by fly-half Aled Thomas.
A Maynard penalty made it 10-7 before a run from Llandovery scrumhalf Lee Rees and chip ahead by centre Adam Warren created a try for cocentre Rhodri Jones.
A driving line out gave home hooker Ieuan Davies the chance to touch down and with Thomas’s conversion Aberavon were back to within a point.
A strong run from No. 8 Ashton Evans laid the foundations for a third Aberavon try for Joe Thomas but the Drovers went back ahead with a second Jones effort – converted by Maynard – following a run from wing Harri Doel.
Doel came near to extending the lead, failing to take a difficult pass near the home line to leave it finely poised, 22-19 to the visitors at half time. Warren clinched a bonus point under the Aberavon posts but back came the Wizards with a penalty try
at the maul, Llandovery’s Llyr Green yellow carded for pulling down.
It brought a bonus point for the home side but fly-half Ioan Hughes and Joe Powell then grabbed two opportunist tries to make it 41-26 to the Drovers. Ieaun Davies burrowed over to bring it back to 41-31 in the furious action but the last word went to replacement Lloyd Pike to cap a fine Llandovery victory.