Llanelli Wanderers Rugby Football Club

Affiliated to: The Welsh Rugby Union, West Wales Rugby Union, and the Llanelli & District Rugby Union

LLANELLI WANDERERS v GORSEINON  19/02/05

The Wanderers featured in a home encounter for the first time in over a month, but unfortunately the result followed previous trends in a 28 points to 5 reverse at the hands of promotion hopefuls Gorseinon.

Early signs were encouraging as the Wanderers took the game to their visitors, with the scrummage looking far more solid than it had in the corresponding game at Gorseinon.

The visitors were the first to threaten when their no.8 set up an overlap and only a fine tackle from full back Adrian Davies prevented a score. However, Gorseinon kept up the pressure and again the no.8 drove on to set up good ball which the backs moved along the line to cross for the opening try and conversion.

Within minutes of the restart, Gorseinon made ground into the Wanderers 22, where the visitors outside half took the opportunity to increase the lead with a drop goal.  The Gorseinon forwards were constantly asking questions of the home 8, but, unlike the away fixture, stood firm in their resolve.

The Wanderers threatened on a number of occasions but loss of possession at crucial times prevented a score until a characteristic break by Karl Evans down the middle took play into the visitors 22. From the resulting line out a fine catch by Iwan Jones allowed the forwards to drive for the line for skipper James Bannister to emerge from the ruck of players as the try scorer.

With the Wanderers hoping to get back on terms, they shot themselves in the foot when, instead of clearing his lines, full back Adrian Davies was caught in possession and gave away a penalty, suitably converted for the visitors to end the half 13 points to 5 up.

The Wanderers had certainly shown during the half that they have the capabilities to match more illustrious opponents but it was mistakes at crucial times which proved their downfall.  How different the second half turned out to be, with Gorseinon controlling possession and Wanderers making constant mistakes.

The visitors opened the scoring with a penalty, followed by 2 well-executed tries and a conversion. Wanderers once again, lost the initiative due to a sin –binning and being down to 14 men.

Robert Jenkins and Lee Cook worked tirelessly and it was pleasing to see Mark Cook starting to regain the potency, which made him such a threat in previous years.

The Gorseinon back row were dominant and the outside half controlled matters in attack and defense for the visitors. What the Wanderers would give for such a general.

FINAL SCORE                      WANDERERS          5          GORSEINON                        28

TRY:                                       J. BANNISTER

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