Neath withstand Quins challenge

The Quins looked capable of a shock, after some indiscipline from Neath gave them three penalties early in the second half, but Patrick Horgan’s charges were not going to wilt, on the same night talismanic captain Gareth Gravell played his 150th game for the Welsh All Blacks.
 
The game was punctuated with plenty of handling errors and not a lot of sympathy from referee Rhys Thomas. Both sides tried to get flowing rugby going for the majority of the match, but the whistle was a regular intervention on a damp night at The Gnoll.
 
Quins got the first opportunity at goal on 16 minutes, after Neath transgressed between their own 22 and 10 metre lines, but Scarlets product Dan Newton missed from 30 metres out. From the restart Neath worked the ball up to the Quins 10 metre line and the visitors second row Carwyn Jones was sent for a break in the bin for handling on the floor.
 
Langdon made them pay by landing the resulting penalty and giving Neath a 3-0 lead on 20 minutes. The home side pulled further clear three minutes later, following a break from young scrum half Luc Jones. From the ruck the ball was punted skywards by Dai Langdon and Quins collected, but Neath stole the ball back. The lively McCarthy broke through, before releasing Ospreys Academy centre Ryan Evans, who slid over for his second Neath try in four games. The conversion was missed, but Neath now led 8-0.
 
Quins finally got on the board just before the half time whistle after referee Thomas penalised Neath for holding on a touch too long in the tackle. Newton made no mistake from half way out on the left, 22 metres out and Neath led 8-3 at half time.
 
Quins drew closer five minutes into the second half after the Neath front row was penalised for driving up in the scrum.  Newton again converted successfully to bring the Quins within two points, 6-8.
 
Quins strengthened their position and took the lead 9-8, with half an hour left, again Neath penalised for holding on and Newton made no mistake from in front. On 54 minutes Newton made it a hat-trick of penalties in 10 minutes, referee Rhys Thomas deciding that Neath had deliberately wheeled the scrum, to much objection from the Town Terrace at the Gnoll.  This made the score 12-8 to the Quins with 25 minutes left.
 
Neath retook the lead on the hour, after Quins were penalised for diving on a Neath ruck, Langdon planted the ball into touch halfway between the Quins 22 and 10 metre lines. From middle all at the lineout, Luc Jones fed Langdon and McCarthy, who brought Kevin James on a lovely switch ball into the centre.  Another ruck ensued, before the ball was fed to McCarthy who slid over halfway out on the right. Langdon converted, to give Neath a 15-12 lead, going into the last quarter.
  
Indeed, going into injury time Neath managed to work a scrum into the Quins 22, before Luc Jones was pinged for holding on. Quins then had a couple of penalties in quick succession, but lost the ball forward on the home 10 metre line and Aaron Bramwell planted the ball into the Family Stand, bringing a tight tussle to a close.
 
Gravell will be proud of his charges, indeed both teams can be proud of their efforts, in testing conditions. Neath will travel to Cross Keys on Saturday with renewed hope in a season, which seven days ago looked to be going downhill after two defeats, while Quins will look to rebound at the weekend.