Tenby United 47 pts. Tycroes 5: In their last home game of the season at Heywood Lane, Tenby Tourers sponsored Tenby United clinched a much-needed five league points with a well-earned seven-to-one try victory over relegation strugglers Tycroes, who were totally outplayed with a display that was both brilliant and sloppy at times - but one that when you look at the other results over the weekend was essential in the fight to remain in Division One West.

On a brilliantly sunny day, with little or no breeze, the visitors kicked off on a heavy pitch saturated by the constant overnight rain, but were straight on the defensive as Tenby winger Yannic Parker took the opportunity presented to stretch their defence early, only for his pass inside to a supporting player to be knocked-on.

Maintaining the early pressure, Joe Poole was into the thick of things and, with Luke Dedman and Mike Davies providing a supply of good quick ball at lineout time, the scene was set for potentially a try-fest laden afternoon.

Next it was Jordan Asparassa who showed what a threat he could be to a defence that was already being stretched, only for his foot to brush the touchline as he set off on a run from deep.

With Tenby wanting to play a running game, it was noticeable that, even at this early stage in the match, several of the bulky Tycroes forwards were walking from one breakdown to another as the United probed for that elusive opening with quick ball transfer and good backing up.

Yannic Parker again caused the Tycroes defence problems with his direct running, but instead of using his nearest supporting player, tried a miracle long miss-pass which floated away into touch.

Switching to gaining ground with some astute line kicking, play-maker Jonny Morgan - the only ever-present player this season - created the first scoring opportunity for Tenby by forcing the Tycroes backs to infringe by going offside, but Craig Barnett saw his penalty attempt drift wide of the uprights.

Morgan again provided an attacking platform with a kick that found touch close to the Tycroes corner flag and, with Luck Dedman securing the ball at the throw-in, Tenby drove the visitors eight backwards, presenting an opportunity for the Morgan brothers to set up an attacking move, but the ball transfer between Craig Barnett and Mauritz Neumann went to ground.

Maintaining the pressure, however, through Cookie and Luke Dedman, skipper Luke Hansford was worked clear and went over for the first try of the afternoon and with Craig Barnett adding the extras, Tenby took a deserved 7-0 lead.

Unfortunately, in the build-up to the try, second row Mike Davies was injured and was replaced by Jack Clancey, a member of the very strong bench (or impact players as Eddie Jones now calls them) that Tenby had selected.

Centre Pat Roberts created the next threat to the Tycroes line, but his clever inside pass to supporting wing Jordan Asparassa was knocked-on, but the centre was not allowed to miss his moment of glory when successfully linking this time with Jordan and Jonny Morgan, who somehow wriggled out of a tackle, to break clear and canter over for a try, again, converted by Barnett, to give a healthy 14-0 lead.

Tycroes were now under the cosh and reverted to some aimless bouts of kicking to relieve the pressure, but from one of them, Jonny Morgan attacked, only to see his clever kick just trickle over the goal-line and minored before he could get a hand on the ball.

The half ended with Tenby going over for their third try of the afternoon, with Craig Barnett, Yannic Parker and Mauritz Neumann combining to release Parker for a try goaled by Barnett as the sides trotted off for oranges, with Tenby comfortably sitting on a 21-0 lead..

The message at half-time from the Tenby coaching staff was obvious - get a bonus point fourth try and the floodgates would open against a Tycroes side that seemed to have only one attacking ploy using the forwards, that of one-out passing to a player charging for the line, while the backs had been so ineffective in the first 40 minutes that it would have been a big surprise if they caused the well organised Tenby defence any problems in the second half.

Craig Barnett, Mauritz Neumann and Jordan Asparassa combined well, only for Yannic Parker to drop the final pass with the line at his mercy. But not disheartened with this missed scoring opportunity, it was Craig Barnett with a penalty for offside who had the chance to increase the lead, but his kick at goal was unsuccessful.

The game went through a phase of kick tennis as Jonny Morgan and James Owen exchanged several kicks, ending with Patrick Roberts seizing on a loose ball and breaking through a very stretched Tycroes defence and linking with fellow centre Mauritz Neumann, who in turn linked with half-backs Jonny Morgan and Matthew Morgan, who were supported by number eight Roy Osborne, who went over for the bonus point fourth try of the afternoon.

With the target now achieved, the game went into sloppy mode, with chances to link with supporting players ignored as the ball was retained and moves snuffed out by the visiting defence, but this annoying trait was fortunately eradicated when a superb combined move involving Jonny Morgan, Craig Barnett, Andrew Cooke and Pat Roberts released Matthew Morgan, whose double dummy completely fooled the Tycroes defence as he crossed for the fifth try of the afternoon, which was converted by Craig Barnett, providing the home side with a very healthy 33-0 lead.

With Tenby now in full stride, additional scores were expected, but as previously, they went back into sloppy mode and Tycroes this time capitalised on this lack of concentration by grabbing a try, with centre Matthew Lemon emerging from a pile of bodies to claim the touchdown following a prolonged series of pick and go charges at the Tenby line.

Referee Lloyd Hughes had been remarkably lenient as Tycroes built up the momentum for the try, with both Roy Osborne and Luke Hansford guilty of pulling the maul down - but they rode their luck.

Sensing that the game was safe at 33-5, Tenby rang the changes, with hard-working Andrew Cooke being replaced by Charlie Patching and Jack Guerreiro coming on for fellow centre Mauritz Neumann.

The clever restart by Jonny Morgan had Tycroes on the backfoot, but they luckily recovered and it took a fine covering tackle by Jack Clancey to prevent a rare scoring chance from developing for them.

The bench was cleared at this point in the game, with the hard-working pair of skipper Luke Hansford and prop Ethan Morgan being replaced by Barry Parsons and Rob Clark.

One of the visitors’ props had been injured and had to leave the field, with uncontested scrums introduced, and getting quick ball from an attacking scrum, Jordan Asparassa was released by a well-timed pass from Craig Barnett, to add to the Tenby lead with a converted try and a 40-5 scoreline.

A very tired and completely outplayed Tycroes side just wanted referee Hughes to blow for time, but sensing that they had thrown the towel in, as they brought on the remains of their bench, Tenby ended the game with what was undoubtedly the try of the afternoon with multiple ball transfers to backing up players, all running clever lines and angles and offloading the ball sensibly, in a move that went the length of the field, giving the impression that every player had handled the ball at least twice each, before number eight Roy Osborne grabbed his second try. With the reliable Barnett taking his contribution for the afternoon up to 12 points and 51 for the season, with a superb touchline conversion, Tenby left the field with a very well deserved 47-5 victory.

The target was achieved and now Tenby United ironically have a two-week gap before they travel up to Crymych to play their next game, while all the other six sides involved in the dogfight to avoid relegation play one or two crucial fixtures over the next fortnight, with Penclawdd playing two or three games against fellow strugglers, while Crymych play four of them - the real business end of the season in Division One West:

Tenby fielded: Craig Barnett, Yannic Parker, Pat Roberts, Mauritz Neumann (Jack Guerreiro), Jordan Asparassa, Jonny Morgan, Matthew Morgan, Ethan Morgan (Rob Clark), Joe Poole, Huw Evans, Luke Dedman, Mike Davies (Jack Clancey), Andrew Cooke (Charlie Patching), Roy Osborne Luke Hansford (Barry Parsons).