NEATH completed their pre-season warm-up schedule with an ultimately convincing win over 150-year old celebrants Talywain – but only after the Gwent side had given the Blacks plenty to think about in the opening half-hour.

Talywain included former Wales Sevens outside-half Ethan Davies as well as scrum half Danny Davies and flanker Lewis Ball who have played for Pontypool. Also in action were wing Luke Basham and prop Taran Moa whose brothers play professionally.

Neath fielded a more familiar-looking starting team than they had the previous week against Swansea …and it was just as well too as the impressive, well-drilled visitors dominated possession and territory in a hard-fought opening quarter which gave the Talywain contingent in another handsome pre-season crowd plenty to cheer about.

Matters were occasionally fractious and, after a lot of honest, hard tackling by the home side, the visitors grabbed the lead when a neat grubber kick evaded the Neath defensive line and led to a try by centre Daniel Lewis which outside-half Davies converted.

It took Neath a further ten minutes to open their account when they retained possession well and accurate passing created space for winger Matthew Jenkins to cross. The Blacks kept up the momentum, a typical drive by prop Mason Morgan setting the stage for scrum-half Rhodri Cole to work lock Jacob Blackmore across for a second try which young outside-half George Richards converted splendidly from wide out.

Half-time : Neath 12 points Talywain 7 points

Neath resumed purposefully and soon added their third try when right wing Ki Morgan sparked an attack which was finished on the left by centre Kieran Charles who gratefully accepted the scoring pass from Jenkins to score and Richards again converted neatly.

The Blacks were building their game nicely now and winger Morgan showed both strength and determination in beating several defenders, completely bowling over one poor soul, to notch his proud first try for Neath, replacement outside-half Steff Williams adding the conversion to make it 26-7.

Neath’s fifth try was a rather more prosaic affair – a standard penalty kick to the corner, line-out take and drive leading to a score by hooker Evan Kneath, Williams’ conversion extending the lead to 33-7.

Two 20 year olds conspired for Neath’s sixth try as splendid handling across the line culminated in another well-timed pass by Llewellyn Hawkes to send Nathan Orrells away and the Resolven youngster finished in style and made it to the try-line for Williams to convert and raise the 40 points.

Neath were in command now and side-stepping prop Gareth Lloyd marked his season’s bow by launching another attack and anotehr 20 year old Gethin Tremlett was twice involved, the flanker going in under the posts for the seveth try which Williams converted to push the lead to 47-7.

Finally, a perfectly placed cross-kick by Lewis Evans was collected by winger Orrells whose snaking, sinewey run saw him outpace the last defenders to score his second – Neath’s eighth – try at the posts and the unblemished Steff Williams converted for a fifth time.

The scoreline was conclusive enough in the end but Talywain can hold their heads high as they had given Neath a real battle in that first-half. 20 tries in 3 warm-up games have provided rich entertainment so far – now for the League which starts next Saturday against Merthyr at The Gnoll (kick off 2.30pm).

NEATH – Lewis Evans; K.Morgan, S.Wilcox, K.Charles, M.Jenkins; G.Richards, R.Cole; J.Jones, J.Clark, M.Morgan; M.Davies, J.Blackmore; C.Williams, B.Williams (capt), G.Tremlett  Repl.

E.Kneath, G.W.Lloyd, E.Hopkins, O.Fuller, O.Rice, D.Watkins, Luke Evans, S.Gardner, E.Lewis, J.Dixon R.Griffiths, N.Orrells, L.Hawkes  S.Williams

TALYWAIN – M.Jones; L.Lezar, D.Pearce, D.Lewis, L.Basham; E.Davies, D.Davies;  L.Rosser, T.Matthews, T.Moa; T.Hancock, L.Mruk; C.Mattravers, C.Bailey, L.Ball (capt)  Repl. S.Morris, D.Gibbons, R.Bendon, J.Parry, K.Needs,R.Hancock, R.Jones, S.George, L.Matthews, K.James, K.Goode, C.Kelly

Referee – Mr. A.Moule (Port Talbot)