Perhaps a combination of the underdogs being more “fired up”, the rustiness caused by the Quins not having played for nearly two months and the home side playing first down a considerable soggy, slope contributed to this match being a more difficult cup-tie than many expected. It certainly did not turn out to resemble the 43-0 rout of the 2001/02 season cup match.

The Athletic kicked off, charged down the hill and from the start it was all “Red and Blacks” with them spreading the ball attractively and pressurising the visitor’s line. The Quins foiled a couple of attempts before the Athletic pack was able to rumble itself over the line and prop, Gethin Robinson, come away with the unconverted try.

The Quins responded fairly quickly with a 40m. Gareth Cull penalty but with a quarter of the match gone the Premiership side were still mainly on the receiving end, still behind and only just beginning to get into the game.

The rest of the half was a typical, scrappy derby clash with the home side still having the better of the play, the visitors defending fairly comfortably but never really showing their full potential in attack and the only further scores coming in penalties. Both kickers, Ricky Williams for Athletic, and Gareth Cull, for the Quins, missed a couple of shots at goal but Cull was able to convert two others to give his team the half time lead by 9 points to 5. During this period firstly Brian Edwards (Quins) and then Gethin Robinson (Athletic) spent ten minutes each in the “sin-bin”.

In the second half it was the turn of the visitors to show some attacking flair. Soon after the restart Cull added another penalty. Then Jason Harries and Martin Morgan combined to break the defence before coming up short. Minutes later Andrew Banfield and Harries took the ball 70m. downfield before they were stopped. A Banfield run also began another attacking move but this time, although all over the defence, the Quins were brought back for crossing.

And so, into the final quarter, the score was still only 12-5, the Athletic were being battered but remained unbowed and still not prepared to give an inch to their local rivals. In fact they reduced the deficit briefly with a Williams’ penalty before Cull restored it again with one of his.

With ten minutes to go injuries caused the unusual sight of Ricky Richards feeding the ball to Sililo Martens, on the wing, so that he could charge down the field. Minutes later Cull’s replacement, James Garland, set up Harries only for him to be brought down feet from the line. This time, however, his pack followed up, were all over the ball and the defence were forced to concede a scrum. The Athletic failed to deal with the push legally and conceded a penalty try which Garland converted.

Into injury time and subs, Andy Beaujean and Gavin Evans, combined before releasing Harries on a 40m. run. The move ended with a penalty awarded to the Quins but they opted for the scrum. Yet again the push was too much for the tiring home pack and this time it was Ricky Richards who picked up for his deserved try. Garland added the points and the final whistle ended the match with Carmarthen Quins the 29-8 victors.

Carmarthen Quins will retain the local “bragging rights” after this encounter but the Athletic will be rightly proud of their performance and it should provide them with confidence in their fight to retain Division 1 status. The Quins now go on to face either Blackwood or Newbridge in the next round of the Swalec Cup on February 20th.