NEWCASTLE Emlyn RFC made it a perfect 10 wins from 10 matches at the top of Division One West, but they were pushed all the way by a skilful, determined Whitland in their 13-10 win.

The difference between the teams in the end was probably the aggressive line speed in defence that the home side showed in the last quarter of the match as Whitland, whenever they had the ball, found themselves forced backwards, while still retaining possession as the home tacklers swarmed over them.

The bruising encounter of the previous week had left its mark on the home side’s selection, with the coaches being forced to change six members of the pack that started against Aberystwyth.

Chris Ludgate and Aled Jones came into the back row for the injured Elliot Rees and Brynmor Jones. There was a pleasing return to action in the second row, with Dyfed Morgan playing his first game for over a season and a half.Captain Alex Williams replaced the injured Lee Griffiths, with Dexter Thomas and Callum Evans coming in on squad rotation. In the backs, Dafydd Evans and Shaun Leonard started, and Llyr Freeman moved on to the wing from full back.

Needless to say, the visitors started the most positively of the two sides, and when Emlyn were penalised for a high tackle around the half way line, an excellent touch kick took the play deep into the home twenty two metre area.

Emlyn managed to repel a couple of forward drives, but the alert scrum half Jac Howells spotted an opening on the blind side and floated an overhead pass to winger Geraint Jones, who crossed in the corner for a try, superbly converted by Nico Setaro.

Emlyn then set up camp in Whitland territory, and outside half Llyr Davies made a lovely break and looked certain to score under the posts, only for a last-ditch tackle, just a metre short of the line.

They did eventually get on the scoreboard when full back Shaun Leonard kicked a penalty goal from the 10 metre line, just before half-time.

The second half started in a similar fashion, with Emlyn dominating territory, but finding it difficult to breach the visitors’ defence. Eventually, a storming run by prop Emrys Davies breached their defence, only to be brought down inches from the line.

Emlyn kicked to touch, and when scrum half Dafydd Evans moved the ball out to the backs, the ball ended up in outside centre Teifion Davies’ hands, and his pass perfectly put Leonard over for a try, which he converted.

Whitland continued to run the ball at every opportunity, and their control of possession meant they retained the ball for lengthy periods.

Time and again potential Emlyn’s attacks floundered, due to the inaccuracy of the home side, but their scrummaging did improve considerably, allowing No 8 Aled Jones time to pick up from the base and gain ground with some strong runs.

A penalty goal kicked by Nico Setaro brought the scores level, but as the second half progressed the strength of the Emlyn replacements proved to be very telling.

Powerful carries by the Emlyn forwards saw Whitland desperately trying to kill the ball at the ruck. Eventually referee Ryan Woodbridge sent second row Raff Williams to the sin bin for killing the ball, and Leonard converted his second penalty of the day to seal the victory.