ASDA League Division One Round Up
Lewis celebrated his 49th birthday with a comfortable 33-24 victory over Whitland to move a point clear in the west division after previous leaders Bridgend Athletic slipped up at Llangennech.
Flanker Paul Rummings, centre Paul Davies, lock Eifion Jones and wing Andrew Luthor capped a fine team performance at Bryn Park and leave Cwmllynfell sitting proud at the top.
Lewis said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better gift from the players, a great performance and now we’re top of the table. That’s a real achievement for a club with our limited resources but it’s got the whole village excited.
“Our aim is to play an expansive 15-man game and that’s what we did, in the end I think the score flattered Whitland. Our forwards were excellent and gave the backs an armchair ride with the possession they won.
“Last season was our first in the First Division and we really learned a lot from that experience. We’ve found our feet at this level and now we want to push on. But we know we are now there to be shot down from the top and we have to keep learning.”
Narberth are now second, ahead of Bridgend Athletic on points difference, following a hard fought 25-20 over Merthyr with Carmarthen Quinn and Bonymaen chasing hard.
Newbridge’s emphatic 34-11 victory over early pace-setters Uwic, built on the meanest defence in Welsh rugby, has also opened up the title race in the east.
Another rock-solid display saw Newbridge bounce back from last week’s first defeat of the season to Beddau, who share a three-way split at the top of the table, thanks to tries from Martin Ackerman, Stuart Smith and Mike Rosser.
Director of rugby David Roberts said: “We upped the ante this week after that blip at Beddau and the players responded with our best performance of the year. The forwards fronted-up and skipper Chris Payne was an inspiration.
“It was one of those days where everything clicked and made all the hard work worthwhile. We have kept faith with the players and they showed exactly what they can do. The defence was fantastic but we do have to start scoring more tries.”
Beddau ran out comfortable winners at Ystrad Rhondda on a day of high scores. Pontypool scored 45 in their win over Llanharan and Blackwood rattled up 48 against Caerphilly. But no one could match Bargoed who bounced back from a surprise loss to Ystrad by hammering Abercynon 71-20 in a ten-try rout.
Scrum-half Mike Roberts scored a hat-trick while Lewis Protheroe, Gary Jones, Greg Callow, Ian Jenkins and Darren Humphries also scored. Jamie Howells converted eight of the tries.
