Division Two West: Fishguard and Goodwick 34-14 Tumble

They've been labelled slow starters, but it was anything but from Fishguard and Goodwick against Tumble yesterday as they essentially sealed a bonus point win inside the first 18 minutes.

After blitzing into an early 22-0 lead, The Seagulls then had to stave off something of a fightback from the visitors but in the end were comfortable winners following two agonising defeats at Pembroke and Burry Port.

Tumble arrived bottom of the table having won just once in 13 league games, and in truth the early stages looked like men against boys.

Just three minutes in centre Thomas George cut over out wide for Fishguard and the intent of The Seagulls became clear moments after when No 10 Kial Keane opted to boot a kickable penalty to the corner.

From the lineout that followed flanker Lewis Davies was held up over the line, but that brought about a scrum from which player coach Simon James touched down after a big shunt from the home pack.

The third try duly followed after a probing kick from scrum half Alun George put Tumble full back Sam Jones under pressure and after he was bundled into touch near his own line - young hooker Liam Wilkes touched down from the lineout drive that followed.

And then on the 18 minute mark came the bonus point and another five metre scrum provided the platform, leaving James with the simplest of touch downs.

Keane had been off target with the first three conversions, before George took the tee and added the extras.

Tumble's first real attack saw them fail to gather their own lineout and Keane pounced to break upfield and chip ahead, but was thwarted by the covering Jones.

But just when they were cruising, Fishguard shot themselves in the foot as full back Robbie Jones tried to run a loose ball back from behind his posts and it prompted brief chaos - which culminated in the visitors running a quick penalty and hooker Rhys Lewis crashing over. Centre Steff Price converted.

And early in the second half, Tumble suddenly looked twice the team that started so shambolically as No 10 Scott Jones threatened with a clean break in midfield before further pressure resulted in a yellow card for home prop Andrew McVeigh.

The visitors capitalised, with second row Nathan Woolard going over by the posts and Price converting to reduce the deficit to 22-14.

The Seagulls got it together again in the final quarter though and it was Keane who dummied his way over out wide before club captain Chris Shousha, who replaced James at half time, rounded off a series of 'pick and go's' with a close range try.

George added the extras, and although winger Ed Bendall had another late score dubiously disallowed, it was still job done for The Seagulls.

Nathan Jenkins (Fishguard head coach):

"For 20 minutes it was great.

"But then we got complacent and rather than go through five or six phases before trying to score, we were trying to do it after one or two.

"But five points were all we wanted from today and we played well enough to do that. It was important to make some changes because we have to keep people like Chris (Shousha) fresh but as a squad they got the job done."

Man of the match - Lewis Davies:

One thing The Seagulls do have his depth in the back row.

And Davies is the latest to emerge. He was perhaps fortunate to escape without yellow with one high tackle in the first half, but he brought real energy and physicality to the contest. 

Both in defence and attack, he was everywhere.

Fishguard lay the foundations:

There still appears ambiguity as to whether two or three sides will do down from Two West A, with the WRU suggesting it will depend on outcomes in other leagues.

That is ridiculous in itself, but it did mean a win for The Seagulls was simply a must today.

And they started like they meant business. Their set piece was so dominant in those early stages, and their finishing clinical, that a 50 point job looked on the cards.

But credit to Tumble they responded. Once they did settle the 10, 12, 13 axis of Scott Jones, Owain Williams and Steff Price looked threatening and at 22-14, suddenly we had a game on our hands.

In the end it was comfortable for The Seagulls and their season could have been so different when you consider five of their eight defeats have been by two points or less. The fact they closed this one out, something that has plagued them this season, should help them psychologically.

Tumble will almost certainly drop now. Fishguard will need more wins to ensure whether it's two or three that go down is irrelevant.

Fishguard and Goodwick: Robbie Jones, Ed Bendall, Thomas George, Sion Rowlands, Rhys Evans, Kial Keane, Alun George, Ryan McVeigh, Liam Wilkes, Andrew Morillo, Gwillym Evans, Ben John, Luke Freebury (capt), Lewis Davies, Simon James. Replacements: Adam Bowen, Jordan James, Steff Lewis, Chris Shousha, Daniel Evans.

Tumble: Sam Jones, Aled Price, Steff Price, Owain Williams, Dean Beamish, Scott Jones, Iwan Morgan, Osian Flint, Rhys Lewis, Kieran Richards, Nathan Willard, Liam Willard, Darren Williams, Steff Owen, Steff Davies. Replacements: Tomos Raymond, Sam Cavill, Dafydd Griffiths, Morgan Davies, Dion Gealy.