DOUBLE CENTURIAN KEN CELEBRTATES WITH A BONUS POINT

With just one home game remaining for this season the Scarlets continue in their quest to reach the play-offs as a sunny welcome awaits Italian team Treviso. Despite the Blues doing their fellow Welsh region a huge favour by securing a well-earned draw out in Ulster, this is another must win game for the Scarlets, and hopefully a five pointer!
This fixture is also a special one for Captain Ken Owens who led out his team for his 200th game for the region. The home team started strongly putting an early 3 points on the board via the boot of Dan Jones. This was soon followed up by the first try of the evening, with DTH Van der Merwe crossing in the corner to further increase the Scarlets’ lead to 8 points to 0.
This was quickly followed by a try the opposite side of the pitch as fellow Wing Steff Evans demonstrated his pace as he gathered the ball to touch down for the Scarlets’ second try. Again, Dan Jones was wide with the tricky conversion, but the Scarlets’ lead extended to 13 points to 0.
Superb hand in mid-field saw the Scarlets keep the ball in hand, their dominance evident as DTH crossed for his brace under the posts. Dan Jones added the easy conversion and with just over quarter of an hour played, the Scarlets lead was now 20 points to 0.
For the second consecutive match, the Scarlets secured the try bonus point with less than half an hour played…. fittingly scored by Captain Ken Owens who crashed over at close range. Jones again missed another touch line conversion attempt but the home team’s lead had increased to a commanding 25 points to 0.
Despite fears from the home crowd that the remaining game would end up ‘pointless’ a superb run from Steff Evans saw the pacey Wing sprint over for his brace of tries. Another missed conversion from the normally Mr. Consistent Dan Jones saw the Scarlets end the first half leading Treviso 30 points to 0.
The second half began where the first half had left off with Tom Price crossing under the posts making Dan Jones’ goal kicking attempt an easy one. He duly added the extras to give his team a 37 point to 0 lead.
Just when it seemed like the Scarlets juggernaut would roll on and on, Treviso put a spanner in the works with replacement Ornel Gega crossing for the visitor’s first try of the evening to finally put them on the score board – 37 points to 5.
The try scoring certainly boosted the confidence of the Italian side as they finally began stringing together phases, venturing into the Scarlets half and testing the Scarlets defence.
Unfortunately, the discipline of the Italians let them down badly as a succession of yellow cards saw them down to just 12 men at one time. The Scarlets took full advantage of their 3-man advantage as DTH crossed for his hat trick. Replacement Outside Half Aled Thomas added the conversion to increase the Scarlets’ lead to 44 points to 5.
Within a matter of minutes replacement Scrum Half stretched over right under the posts. Again, Thomas added the extras to bring the Scarlets over the half century as the lead extended to an impressive 51 points to 5.
As the game headed towards to final whistle, the home team probably tried a little too hard to end the game on a high as Treviso took full advantage of the handling errors that had crept into the Scarlets’ game, making a rare visit into the Scarlets’ half. Aided by a very unpopular decision from referee Andrew Brace who yellow carded James Davies, a Treviso back at the full contingent aimed to end the game with some sort of consolation score.
Next Saturday the Scarlets head to the Principality Stadium to face the Dragons as part of Judgement Day. Kickoff is at 5.15pm following the Blues v Dragons game.