The Wizards had overcome dogged opponents at the Talbot Athletic Ground who led early through the boot of full-back Dion Jones.
Centre Rheon James powered through from a line-out 40 metres out before putting his midfield partner Will Price through at the posts.
Jones and Garland traded penalties, giving the home side a one-point lead at the interval that they extended early in the second half, despite Llanelli’s pressure, when flanker Nathan Brown scored from the back of a driving maul.
Llanelli centre Ioan Nicholas hit back from half-way while Aberavon’s replacement wing Matthew Jenkins was in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on to make it a one-point game again at 17-16.
Garland added another penalty for some breathing space before back-row Chris Davies claimed a push-over try in the last play of the game, snatching a deserved losing bonus point from Llanelli.
Rhys Downes scored a hat-trick as Merthyr continued their impressive start with an entertaining 38-25 win at home to defending champions Ebbw Vale at The Wern.
Scrum-half Downes scored twice before the interval before capping off the feat late in the game with Kyle Evans claiming the fourth try for a bonus point.
Ebbw Vale fly-half Josh Lewis scored two tries including a moment of magic which saw him twist and turn from his own 22 before racing away for the score midway through the second half. But it was too late to halt Merthyr who had raced into a 20-0 lead inside the opening quarter.
RGC 1404 got back to winning ways with a 39-22 bonus-point victory against a spirited Swansea side at St Helen’s. The North Walians lost their top of the table showdown with Aberavon last weekend but were able to see off a struggling Swansea side who kept fighting back.
Tiaan Loots scored a brace of tries after creating the opener for Carwyn ap Myrddin while Rhys Williams and Tom Hughes scored tries just six minutes as RGC claimed maximum points.
Julian Mogg’s kick set up a try for Richard Williams caught the diagonal kick and Martin Luckwell crossed before half-time.
Mogg briefly closed the gap to seven points when he converted his own try near the posts with Joe Simpson sin-binned for the visitors. But Jacob Botica’s long-range penalty and Loots second saw RGC secure third place in the table.
Struggling Newport gift-wrapped a 36-12 win for Pontypridd after an error-strewn performance at Sardis Road.
The Black & Ambers made a promising start when flanker Rhodri Jones caught the hosts cold with a quickly-taken penalty to barge over on two minutes.
But ill-judged passes and kicks handed Ponty control of the game as centre Bradley Coombes and wing Alex Webber both scored following interceptions and lock Hemi Barnes crossed after charging down a kick.
Full-back Geraint O’Driscoll responded for Newport but was then shown a yellow card and
Webber and Joe Davies steered Pontypridd to victory.
Llandovery held-off Cross Keys to claim a 26-17 triumph in a mid-table tussle at Church Bank. Dafydd Hughes and Rhodri Davies both crossed but it was Jack Maynard’s four penalties that proved crucial as Josh Prosser kept Keys in the contest with all his team’s 17 points, including tries in each half.
Bridgend survived a spirited Bedwas comeback to pick up just their second win of the season, 26-20, at the Brewery Field.
Tries from Marc Bennett-Jones and Joseph Gatt were enough to secure the win in a match that had looked slipping away from Bridgend at one stage as James Dixon and Connor Edward scored either side of half-time for Bedwas. A late drop goal by Joseph Scrivens secured the win but Richard Powell rescued a losing bonus point for Bedwas with an injury time kick.
Aaron Grabham’s hat-trick saw Neath edge out Cardiff 20-19 at the Gnoll. The young Ospreys speedster single-handedly sent Neath to their second win of the season despite Cardiff fly-half Gareth Thompson’s double and a second-half try by James Beal.
Carmarthen Quins could be renamed ‘Comeback kings’ after Aled Thomas clinched a second dramatic late win in a row. Thomas held his nerve in front of goal with his 78th minute kick in the 18-17 win at Bargoed to emulate Steffan Marshall’s heroics last week against Cross Keys.
Second-half tries from flanker Williams Boyde and wing Gavin Thomas sparked the fightback as Bargoed paid the price for three yellow cards.
Lewis-Jon Hudd and centre Phil Price handed Bargoed a 17-3 lead early in the second half but the Quins bench made a major impact and Thomas ran the show before converting his late penalty.
