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Search forDrovers are edged out
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 09:00
Full-back Ceiron Thomas and forwards Phil John, Rob McCusker and Johnathan Edwards were unable to swing things Llandovery's way in a game that was as tight as the score suggests.
The Drovers looked far the more fluent and inventive behind the scrum and there were some very good individual performances up front.
But the Keys pack got on top in the second half to earn a third consecutive league win for the Gwent club.
Llandovery coach Rob Appleyard bemoaned the lack of discipline shown by his side.
"We had a golden chance to get a valuable away win against a side that was only just above us in the table," said the ex-Wales flanker.
"We let ourselves down by giving away a stream of second-half penalties at ruck and maul and this gave Keys the chance to keep us pegged back in our own half.
"Our priority must be to improve our discipline if we are to beat Swansea at Church Bank next Tuesday."
Both sides scored three tries and kicked two penalties apiece and the crucial difference at the end of the day was the extra conversion put over by Keys replacement fly-half James Leadbeater.
The game was tied 17-17 at the break after Llandovery had at one stage led 17-10.
Home tries from skipper and lock Ben Watkins and replacement centre Gareth Maule sandwiched touchdowns from Llandovery fly-half Tomos Marks and wing Ifan Evans.
The lively Marks celebrated his return from London Welsh with a well-taken try after Leadbeater had a kick charged down, while Evans finished off a lovely sweeping move by his back division to score an outstanding try.
With the kickers and respective full-backs — Leon Andrews and Ceiron Thomas — adding seven points apiece from the boot, there was nothing to separate the sides.
And with the Llandovery backs looking the sharper, there was every hope that a second win of the season was on the cards.
But after the break the Keys pack upped a gear in the loose to establish a 27-17 lead.
A penalty from full-back Andrews and a well-worked try for wing Will Johnstone following good work from scrum-half Owen Jones suggested that Keys might pull away.
Andrews and Leadbeater then missed four penalties between them and back came the visitors with a penalty by Thomas.
Centre Dan Rogers squeezed over in the last act of the game and although Thomas missed the difficult conversion that would have tied the scores, the Drovers did at least go back west with a consolation bonus point.
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