Match Report:

Tumble should have won this encounter against high flying Mumbles but ten minutes of indecisive play cost them three tries and with it any chance of much needed points.

The early exchanges saw the Magpies take play deep into the visitors 22 through some fine running from Nicky Allinson and the evergreen Richard Hardy. A penalty was conceded and Steve Hewitt converted for the Magpies. This was added to when, following a break by captain Derek Lewis, he linked with Hewitt who slipped his pass to wing Gareth Jones. The wily winger took the ball on the visitors 10 metre line and was fleet footed enough to out fox the cover defence to score in the corner.

Mumbles were unsettled and some fine line kicking from Matthew Lemon kept the visitors on the back foot. They did however use their much bigger forwards to good effect and a charging run by lock Keiron Ruddock created problems for the home team. The ball was recycled quickly on halfway and with full back Warren Davies exploiting the blind side he waltzed through some weak tackling to score wide out.

Back row forwards Garry Williams and Paul Davies were lively and worked tirelessly as did hooker James Jones. The reward for their endeavours came when, following a break by centre Jeremy Davies, Mumbles conceded a penalty fifteen metres in from their own 22 and Lemon converted. Props Matthew Jones and Huw Jones were able to cope with their bigger opponents but had to be wary in the loose as Mumbles continued to maul and ruck well. With twenty eight minutes gone, Mumbles had a succession of drives which disrupted Tumble and, again with some poor defence on the blindside, flanker Dan West beat three tackles and scored a converted try.

The linesout were contested with Gareth Thomas and Davies but, with the referee showing Thomas a yellow card for alleged persistent infringements at the breakdown, the Magpies struggled to produce a consistent pattern of play. Aled Lewis put his body on the line for several occasions but Mumbles were still able to keep the ball tight and maul their way upfield. When Tumble did break out they looked sharp and Hardy probed for weakness behind the scrum. Some quick thinking by James Jones following a penalty, enabled wings Gareth Jones and Allinson to take play into the visitors 22. Tumble transgressed however and the try scoring opportunity was lost. With a minute to go, Lemon kicked a huge penalty from the 10 metre line to give the Magpies a slender but well deserved two point half time lead. This should have been further increased when Derek Lewis charged upfield and, with Mumbles illegally denying the ball, a penalty 24 metres out was missed.

The second half again saw Tumble down to 14 men when centre Jeremy Davies was penalised for handling in the ruck. Mumbles' Warren Davies kicked the penalty for Mumbles to retake the lead. Tumble looked threatening when they had ball in hand but too often they ran laterally or cut back inside where their bigger opponents were waiting to dispossess the attacker. Hardy kept probing for an opening and Hewitt worked well with Lemon. The forwards worked hard all afternoon but still they were unable to wear down their opponents.

After an hour's play, much to the delight of home supporters, Mumbles' Lancaster received a yellow card. Tumble redoubled their efforts and good work from Matthew and Huw Jones combined with runs from Hewitt and Davies caused problems for Mumbles. Against the run of play, Davies added a further penalty to increase Mumbles' lead to four points.

An attack by the Magpies saw Allinson luckily miss a swinging arm, the attack was continued across field but Hardy was felled this time and left the field with blood pouring from a broken nose. Paul Davies won good lineout ball but the defence was not able to be breached. This frustrated the Magpies and with thirteen minutes remaining, Mumbles pressed hard for a score. They won a scrum in the home 22 and centre Rhys Davies beat the defence to score a converted try. Replacement scrum half Dwaine Evans and Rhys Jones had a run at the visitors but it was too little too late. Two minutes later winger Chris Hopkins went over unopposed for Mumbles and, with the Magpies trying to run a penalty from their own line 5 metres out, they were dispossessed and Lancaster scored a converted try.

Tumble were defeated but they managed a try on the death through Lemon. But for the last twelve minutes, the Magpies were deserving of the win but it was not to be.

Steve Lewis