WEST WALES RAIDERS 40 GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL GOLDS ACADEMY 18

By Peter Tiffin at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli

West Wales Raiders were convincing winners over Gloucestershire All Golds Academy running out 40-18 victors at Stebonheath Park on Saturday.

The result means the Raiders leapfrog over the All Golds into fourth place in Conference League South.

In in an enthralling encounter, Raiders were the first to go on the scoreboard with winger Mathew Davies taking a high ball and scoring in the corner, the conversion missed.

However Gloucester turned the tables scoring two tries in quick succession with James Mason and Chris True crossing, but Liam Rice-Wilson failed to convert each time.

Things got worse when prop Jonny Rees got yellow carded for ruck infringement and Rice-Wilson capitalised by scoring directly from the penalty and converting, and the Raiders looked to be going in behind at half time.

But with minutes remaining of the first half, Raiders decided to turn on the style and send in winger Andrew Rees Spowart for a try, an amazing conversion from pivot Daf Daniel made the scores even 14-all at half time.

The half time interval gave the coaching staff and team a chance to re-plan their strategy and Raiders came out on fire. Within two minutes winger Rees-Spowart scored in the corner, Daniels again converted with ease from the touch line.

It wasn’t long again before Raiders found their mojo and pivot Curtis Ford was put in to a gap and glided around the full back to go in under the posts, Daf Daniels added the two again.

It was a solid defensive display from Gloucester but on the hour mark, winger Mathew Davies was sent through a huge gap created by second rower Morgan Jefferies taking the hit from the defence and offloading a deft pass. Davies went a full 30 metres untouched, the conversion missed on this occasion.

Gloucester began to lose their discipline and were penalised 20 metres from their own line, centre Josh Taylor dragged in the defence slipped a pass to second rower Tom Stratford who went over, conversion missed.

From a deep kick off winger Andrew Rees-Spowart ran the ball back in on the 50, broke through and run back on to the 30, drawing in the full back passing the ball back inside to supporting hooker Daf Phillips to go in under the sticks, Daf Daniels added the two.

With minutes to go Gloucester caught the Raiders defence napping and Mason managed to grab a late consolation try.

The curtain raiser saw West Wales Raiders’ under 15s beat Aber Valley Wolves 26-20.

West Wales Raiders reserves take to the field next on Wednesday when they travel to Pyle RFC to face Bridgend Blue Bulls in the Welsh Conference (kick-off 7.15pm).