On Saturday Carmarthen Quins travelled to Pandy Park in the hope of divesting themselves of an unenviable record. The Quins have never won at the Cross Keys ground having lost all five league matches and one Cup match there. As it turned out, on a ground sodden but fair and with the gale force wind lashing the rain into the players without mercy, the losing streak was to continue.

The Quins kicked off into the howling wind and did well for the first half hour despite the conditions being massively in favour of the home side. Gareth David and Leon Andrews used the kicking game well to control the match and quick counter-attacking moves from the breakdowns by the “Keys” forwards and centres always looked dangerous as well as keeping the visitors on the back foot struggling for good ball in attacking positions.

At the same time the Carmarthen pack were holding their own and their discipline to restrict the opposition’s scoring opportunities. The back row were tackling well and quick to the break down, Gavin Evans and Martin Morgan were winning some line outs against the throw and all the pack including the front row were putting some phases together. Behind the pack Sililo Martens sniped a few times as did Jason Harries and Andrew Banfield but all the time the game plan seemed to be hold on and then to use the conditions in the second half.

In the last ten minutes before the interval, however, Cross Keys surged, the Quins defence struggled a little more and penalties resulted. Gareth David slotted two penalties and then in overtime a third, but this time with Richard Wilkes receiving a yellow card, so that the home side led 9-0 at half time.

Into the second half and the rain more or less stopped and the wind became a lot less frightening but it was still going to be all about the team who could use the sodden pitch and the greasy ball the more effectively.

Gareth Cull now started to try to gain territorial advantage using the wind and a kicking game. The wind did help him to convert a 50m. penalty early on but the dropping wind and more accurate return kicking from David, Andrews and Ryan James kept Cross Keys in charge.

David kicked another penalty to make the score 3-12 but then Anthony Rees kept his team in the game with a beautiful pick up of the slithering ball on his line followed by a relieving kick. So when, a little later, a long ball from Cull found Andrew Banfield on the wing and with enough space to crash over for a try, a result still looked a possibility for the visiting side.

Into the last quarter and it was Cross Keys who wrested control back. Their kickers kept territorial control and whenever the ball was loose it was unceremoniously hacked back down the pitch. In reply the Quins struggled with their tactical kicking and Rees had to make another try saving effort to reduce the opposition scoring to just another two successful David penalties.

Having now lost a losing bonus point, Carmarthen kept running at the opposition with replacement fly half, James Garland, having a couple of breaks but the “Keys” defence were dealing with matters quite comfortably.

In the dying minutes of extra time, the final nail in the coffin came when Robert Nash broke away from a scrum, threw an outrageous dummy and strolled down the blind side to the line celebrating all the way to the crowd. David added the extras and Cross Keys deservedly won 25 points to 8.

Carmarthen Quins can be a good side but this was not one of their better performances and they will need to regroup and work for each other now ready for the home tie against Bedwas on December 5th.