Cardiff started the quicker and got the better of the early kicking exchanges but it was the Quins who had the first scoring opportunity. James Dixon saw his penalty drift wide though and Cardiff responded with a Joe Griffin penalty before Matthew Screech crashed over for a try just minutes later. Griffin added the extras as the Blue and Blacks got off to a fast start.
It took until the second quarter for Carmarthen to really get into the game and with the interval fast approaching, Haydn Pugh collected a line out and Carwyn Jones crashed over for an unconverted try. Straight from the kick-off though the Quins gave Griffin a 45 metre penalty shot which he duly converted.
Seconds before the half-time interval, fine runs by James Davies, Alex Pickersgill and Pugh took play into the Cardiff half close enough for Dixon to off-load to Rheon James for the try. After his earlier three misses Dixon was able to convert this one to make the score 12-13 at half-time.
After the interval Will Thomas and Cory Allen looked dangerous for Cardiff but frequent infringements by the visitors allowed Dixon, who had now found his range, to slot two more penalties. The Quins now had a lead and, with the pack strengthened with the introduction of Kevin Jones and Richard Wilkes in the front row, the home side started to dominate.
From a quick tap inside his 22, Sion Bennett charged down field and the ball went through the hands of Rees and Pickersgill before reaching Wilkes who sold an outrageous dummy before going over for another converted try.
The running and inter-passing between forwards and backs alike was causing havoc in the Cardiff ranks and it was not long before the impressive James Davies was freed up to score and convert his own try. Lee Williams kept up the pressure with a couple of explosive breaks but, against the run of play, it was Cardiff’s Steve Cullen who got the next score with a try in the corner.
Ruben Tucker added a converted try for Cardiff before Dan Newton kicked a penalty to secure the Quins’ bonus point victory.
“I thought Lee Williams was outstanding. When he went to first receiver from broken play he was dictating play with devastating effect,” said Carmarthen team manager Steff Thomas.
“We are pleased to get our first win of the season. It was far from a complete performance, but we did put some good periods of rugby together,” he added.
