Fixture

Blacks claim bonus point win to climb to the top of Division 3 West B. Burry Port hosted New Dock Stars a week after they met at St Georges Fields in the Bowl 2nd round. Burry Port with a changed team, started well and attempted to play a quick and high tempo game. New Dock were happy to adopt a more forward orientated game and proved to be very difficult to break down. With the first exchanges even it was Burry Port who broke up field with Second Row Bryn Jenkins finishing off a fine handling movement to touch down for the first score. Scrum half Ben Williams was next to cross after a quick tap penalty to make the score 10-0. New Dock were resilient and struck back with two tries their second a fine forwards try from a catch and drive. Ben Williams struck over a penalty to make the half time score 13-12 to Burry Port. 
In fairness to the visitors they hadn’t travelled to Burry Port to make up the numbers and they played to win, and there were two tries exchanged with lively winger Owen Thomas touching down for the Blacks. A New Dock penalty, however edged them in front 18-20 to set up a nail biting last quarter. Burry Port were pressing the try line and as the game started to open up they looked sharp and likely to score the 4th try to claim a vital bonus point. Dock had other ideas and their defence worked hard to keep out wave after wave of attack. A series of attacking line-outs saw New Dock repeatedly pull down the catch and drive, and the ref lost patience and reduced the visitors to 14 men after a blatant infringement as Burry Port were about to cross the try line. Burry Port again opted for the line out and there was frustration as another infringement cost the Blacks a try, and the ref had no option but to show another yellow card reducing New Dock to 13 men. Again from an attacking line-out Bryn Jenkins caught the ball and the Burry Port pack drove forward and created a gap on the blind side with scrum half Ben Williams darting over for the all important bonus point try. New Dock were forced to make a few clearance kicks and Adam Rudall playing at full back, made a few fine breaks as he gathered the ball but was tackled before releasing the supporting players. The game ended in a 4 try victory to Burry Port, but credit must be given to New Dock Stars who battled every step of the way. 
Player coach Gareth Gravell said ‘it wasn’t pretty at times, but we knew we had to dig deep and do a job. The line-out went well and we know we can improve in terms of our performance.’
Burry Port travel to Llangadog next Saturday.