Neath’s home season ended on a desperately low note when they lost to a much sharper and fresher-looking Llangennech at The Gnoll.

Both sides made around a half dozen changes and the visitors included ex-Neath men in Liam Tobias and Ioan Jones and, after a winter of incessant rain, the pitch was as dry as a bone as Llangennech kicked off towards the Town end.

From the start, Neath looked dead on their feet and Llangennech never really looked back after taking a first-minute lead –  quite what the starlets of the Neath Schools Under-11’s who were parading the D.C. Thomas Shield which they won the day before thought about it can only be imagined as they had not even taken their seats.

Gnoll supporters felt that two of Llangennech’s tries benefited from unseen forward passes yet there could be no denying that the visitors played far sounder football on the way to four first-half tries by centre Kalum Evans (2), winger Louis Rees and scrum-half Tom Morgan and outside-half Steff Marshall converted them all.

But their cause was made all the easier by poor Neath defence; tired and missing players is one thing, missing tackles another. One wit was moved to comment that there were more missing tackles than in a colony of eunuchs !

Still, Neath pulled out of their inertia with a splendid 11th try of the season by scrum-half Kaden Davies who looped around and then supported Iestyn Morgan and then hooker Kian Jones burrowed over for his 12th from an attacking line-out. It was entirely fitting that the scores should befall two players who have consistently achieved this year.

The forwards built up a head of steam which ought to have produced another score but the referee, having issued one yellow card, was reluctant to proffer another or to award a penalty try – well it is the end of the season !

Half-time – Neath  10 points Llangennech 28 points 

 Neath did much better in the second-half but by then it was too late.

Prop Mason Morgan who has gallantly battled on throughout a long campaign was eventually given a well-deserved rest and the emergence of experienced hands Sion Jones, Chris Davies (re-appearing after debuting for Neath some 12 seasons ago) and Matthew Davies stiffened the forward effort.

But Llangennech got a fifth try when Neath’s defence again went badly missing from a drop-out – Louis Rees was the beneficiary for his second and Marshall converted.

Neath threatened quite often but their handling was sub-standard. At least four passes found their way into touch and their only score was an 18th of the season for top try-scorer Sion Jones which outside-half Steff Williams converted.

The Supporters’ Club ‘man of the match’ award went to flanker Jordan Evans who toiled away in a well beaten side but, in modern parlance, Neath were ‘not at the races’.

Well as Llangennech played in a thoroughly deserved win, the home display was a huge disappointment to Neath and their supporters too.

After a 10-day rest, the All Blacks need to gird themselves for one more effort on Saturday week at Ystrad Rhondda who are now safe from relegation.

It is important to finish on a high !

NEATH – I Morgan; L Hawkes, B Williams (capt), J Male (S Wilcox), J Bayliss; S Williams, K Davies (R Jones) ; M Morgan (Cieran Van den Bogerd), K Jones (S Jones), Connor Van den Bogerd (C Davies); B Thomas (M Davies), J Blackmore; Jordan Evans, Jonny Evans (T Richards), G Tremlett

LLANGENNECH – L Davies; L Rees (L Hutchings), K Evans (O Evans), W Thomas, H Button; S Marshall, T Morgan (K Edwards); J Price (Iestyn Jones), F Thomas (C Jenkins), L Tobias (A Morgan); Ioan Jones, F Cooke (S Richards); B Thomas  (L Phillips-Taylor), L Pike, S Edwards

Referee – Mr A Parry (Pontypool)

Images courtesy of Len Kowalski:   www.lensworkphotography.co.uk