Two tries by full back Iestyn Morgan highlighted Neath’s 31-21 win at spirited Narberth who agonisingly saw a bonus point disappear with the last move of the game.

Neath introduced two new three-quarters in centre Sam Matthews (Tondu) and winger Corum Nott (Bridgend) while long-term injury victims Jon Bayliss and Jon Barley were on the bench – all added to Neath’s rich mix.

Narberth had 39-times capped loose-head Rob Evans on the bench and were reinforced by the Llandovery pair of centre Ilan Phillips and prop Guto Jones as well as Carmarthen Quins scrum-half Lucca Setaro whose alertness gave the home side, playing with the wind, an early lead with a try which outside-half Osian Evans converted.

Neath wasted no time in scoring themselves, prop Tarek Dabeh touching down following good work by the forwards but the All Blacks were struggling to get their game going with Narberth eager to pounce on their errors.

Midway through the half a nasty collision in midfield necessitated on-field treatment for Neath outside-half Steff Williams, centre Sean Wilcox and Narberth’s Hedd Nicholas who was forced to leave the field.

Narberth pressed hard but stout Neath tackling stripped them of the ball on the Neath line and the visiting backs scented an opportunity to run out of defence, splendid handling freed Iestyn Morgan and Sean Wilcox and ended in flanker Casey Williams crossing at the other end for a spectacular try which Steff Williams converted to put the visitors 12-7 in front.

Narberth took play to the Neath line but the All Black defenders held them up before the visitors began to assert themselves, stepped up the pressure and the home side infringed once too often and lost influential No.8 Roy Osborne to the sin-bin.

Neath’s attacks intensified and more good driving by the forwards created space for full back Iestyn Morgan to stride over for the third try which Steff Williams converted.

On the stroke of half-time, Neath attacked strongly again but nudged the ball forward when a try at the posts seemed a certainty and would probably have settled the contest.

Half-time – Narberth 7 points Neath 19 points

 With wind advantage in the second-half, Neath were firmly in the driving seat but Narberth had other ideas and denied the visitors the ball for the best part of 15 minutes and pounced for a try themselves by wing Dean James which impressive replacement outside-half Jonathan Rogers converted for 19-14.

Spurred on by Rogers’ kicking, Narberth were doing better into the wind than they had done with it but Neath dealt quite effectively with it without setting the world on fire. The scoreboard remained locked as replacements were introduced and Neath’s arrivals, back rower Owain Morgan in particular, made their presence felt.

Line-out ace Jon Barley, out of action for 18-months, was soon into the fray and, on 73 minutes, prop Ben Uphill was on hand at a driven line-out to grab Neath’s bonus-point try to make it 24-14 – a statistical quirk too as both Neath tight-heads had scored in the same game !

But the game was not over yet and Narberth bagged their third try when Rogers chipped over the Neath midfield and former Cardiff winger Matthew John dabbed down at the posts for Rogers to convert.

Neath were now leading by a slender 24-21 but there were only two minutes remaining so, a spell of possession rugby was called for before Narberth, attempting to pass from deep, surrendered their losing bonus-point when Iestyn Morgan intercepted and sped away for his second try.

It was Neath’s fifth of the day and 99th of the season – and Iestyn Morgan completed a sound personal afternoon by adding the conversion points.

That signalled the end an entertaining game, well-supervised by referee Mr. Nathan James, and the win keeps Neath in third place before the visit to Bargoed on March 22 when Narberth have an equally as important home game against Bonymaen.

NARBERTH – L Jones (W Hurley); M John, I Phillips, H Nicholas (R Harris), D James; O Evans (J Rogers), L Setaro; T Kaijaks (R Evans *), T Clarke (K Hamer), G Jones (T Slater); W Blackburn, S Martin; J Hamer (R Williams), R Osborne (capt), S Davies  (J Bennett)

NEATH – I Morgan;  C Nott (J Bayliss), S Wilcox (K Charles), S Matthews, R Wall; S Williams, C Tantum (E Lewis);  M Morgan (J Jones), K Jones (E Kneath), T Dabeh (B Uphill); M Davies, C Arnold (J Barley); C Williams, B Williams (capt) (O Morgan), G Tremlett

Referee – Mr N James (Abersychan)