Match Report:

The young Magpies travelled north to Llandovery to face an unbeaten youth side in good form. It turned out to be a very competitive and eventful afternoon with both sides battling hard for the win. Daniel Evans, playing his first game of the season for Tumble, opened the scoring with a successful penalty. Following enterprising threequarter play Llandovery equalised with a penalty from in front of the posts. The Tumble forwards drove upfield to secure another penalty opportunity which Evans accepted. With the scrums being equal Llandovery held the upper hand at the lineout and from a driving lineout they crossed for their only try out wide on the right to lead 11-6 at half time.

Tumble changes at half time improved the away side's lineout with Ricky Guest taking over at hooker and Sam Davies stealing lineout ball as front jumper. The strengthening wind and a series of penalties kept the Magpies in their own half for quite a while in the second half but they defended superbly as a team.

Tumble eventually drove into the hosts' half and a series of drives with Ricky Guest and Rhys Jones to the fore saw Guest cross for an equalising score. There followed a bizarre sequence of events when Evans' conversion was signalled over by one touch judge and not by the other. The very young referee gave the conversion but following a word with the home touch judge changed his mind and instructed Evans to retake the kick which he missed leaving the score tied on 11-11, which may well be a fair result on the day. The match was an excellent advert for youth rugby with Llandovery clinging to their unbeaten tag by the thinnest of margins in what was a very encouraging display from a young Tumble side.

-- Gwyn