Neyland beat Cefenithin 61-24 in National Bowl

The early season surge continues.

It’s now six league and cup wins from six for Neyland in their 2018/19 campaign as they again showcased their try scoring ability by hammering Cenfneithin at the Athletic Club.

The Pembrokeshire All Blacks crossed nine times in all, including hat tricks for centre Alex Codd and full back Patrick Bellerby, and it was just reward for their ambition will ball in hand with the result only tainted by second half injuries to Codd, Mark Riley, and Dillen Mcgaffin.

It was the home side who kicked off with a howling wind behind them, and they were soon ahead when winger Riley cut inside and shrugged of two tacklers to lay the platform, and scrum half George Evans duly popped a pass to the charging Luke Griffiths-Dawes to score.

No 10 Dillen Mcgaffin converted from out wide, and then did the same when George Evans pounced on a loose ball and gave the scoring pass to centre partner Codd.

But the visitors responded, and with former Whitland centre Garry Evans making inroads in midfield, a spell of possession was duly rewarded when full back Jon Owen went over in the corner.

And they soon pressed for a second try, but then came a pivotal moment as Neyland full back Bellerby intercepted a pass in his own 22 and his pace did the rest, McGaffin again converting.

Again Cefeneithin pressed and it took a superb corner tackle from prop Eugene Grice, again outstanding for the All Blacks throughout, to deny winger Scott Davies a try.

The game’s best moment then arrived just before half time, as again Neyland broke out of defence and No 9 Evans raced towards the 22, and with the cover defence closing in, he threw a long inside pass to Williams who deftly flicked the ball to Codd on the run around, and the latter went under the posts for another converted score.

Still, at 28-5 the contest wasn’t dead with the Carmarthenshire side coming back out second half with the elements behind them, but it was the All Blacks who again started stronger and Codd was denied by some desperate defence after Bellerby had hacked on a loose ball.

But another stylish score try came when winger Henry Mcbeth continued his scoring form by jinking past several tacklers en route to the posts, Mcgaffin again doing the honours.

Cefneithin weren’t done though and soon enjoyed their best spell as the home side went down to 14 when replacement John Tennick saw yellow for hands in the ruck.

From the close range scrum that followed, referee Colin Phillips went straight under the posts for a penalty try with the home pack adjudged to have illegally halted the pushover, and soon after centre Dion Lewis rounded off further pressure with a try namesake Sion converted.

Suddenly, at 35-19 the visitors were threatening a fightback but it was then that Neyland moved through the gears and another flowing move involving, Bellerby, Evans and replacement scrum half Jack Richards finished with the latter putting Codd over for his try treble. With McGaffin now off injured, Evans converted.

Moments later Bellerby cut a line from deep in his own half before giving the scoring pass to Mcbeth, and then it was the full back himself whocrossed as he gathered a Richards chip ahead and reached the line for Evans to convert.

The away side were at least rewarded for endeavour with a fourth try as winger Matthew Green touched down in the corner – but despite another yellow card, this time for Richards, fittingly it was the All Blacks who had the final word when Bellerby rounded off an overlap out wide for his third try, and Evans belted over the touchline conversion.

Graham Richards (Neyland head coach):

“We played some very good rugby and overall it was another good performance from a young squad.

“I thought we were a bit petulant at times but we are working on our discipline - and there were some great tries scored out there.

“We’ve had a few injuries but don’t play next week which is timely.”

Man of the match: Eugene Grice

When a team has scored nine tries and two backline players have notched hat tricks, you probably don’t expect to see a prop named as the best performer.

But while Codd, Bellerby, or Mcbeth could easily have taken the honour, Grice was simply everywhere.

He carried powerfully but his work rate in defence especially was immense, and his first half cover tackle to deny a certain try came at a time when Cefneithin were still bang in the contest.

Neyland have a number of young players with potential. This lad is one of them.

The real deal or early days?

One thing is for sure, Neyland can play.

They proved it at times last season, and they’ve proved it in every game so far this season.

They are a young side so Richards and Evans are right to play down expectations, but the team is playing confidently and looks capable of attacking from everywhere. Cefneithin were no shambles, they retained the ball well at times and could mix it physically – but had no answer to the pace and accuracy with which Codd, Bellerby and co attacked with, especially as legs tired late on.

There will be much tougher tests ahead, but a few more sides will be put to the sword by the All Blacks before the season is out.

But whether Neyland can seriously challenge for league or cup silverware may depend on how far their squad is stretched. They’ve lost boys to University and will be sweating on the outcomes of the injuries to Codd, Riley and Mcgaffin.

Regardless, they are continuing to move in the right direction.

Neyland: Patrick Bellerby, Mark Riley, George Williams, Alex Codd, Henry Mcbeth, Dillen Mcgaffin, George Evans, Eugene Grice, Gavin Campbell, Luke Griffiths-Dawes, Richard Jones, Mark James, Iestyn Evans, Iestyn Evans, Owain Evans, Ben Williams. Replacements: Craig Power, Jack Richards, John Tennick, Delme Bateman.

Cefeneithin: Jon Owen, Matthew Green, Dion Lewis, Garry Evans, Scott Davies, Sion Williams, Dion Thomas, Ben Williams, Will Houlbrooke, Rhys Dingle, Carl Pritchard, Chris James, Daniel Jones, Darren Williams, Sion Peregrine. Replacements: Rhys Lewis, Wayne Williams, John Bowen.

Referee: Colin Phillips.