By The Webmaster
September 7 2002

Check the match report for the Swansea v Neath match at St Helens. In this local derby match it would always be tight as seen in recent years but this time Neath just about won it and it was revenge.

Match Report: Swansea v Neath at St Helens (Swansea)

In a dire first half, Neath managed to score 2 tries to 1, with 1 of them coming from Andy Moore who was celebrating his 34th Birthday and the other from Shane Williams who also had an excellent game.

Neath outscored the Whites with 2 tries to 1 with Steve Winn scoring a late try in the second half which ensured a grandstand finish to this error strewn match on a night when the rain was lashing down.

The match only came to life after 60 minutes when scrum half Andy Moore scored a try after superb play from the new boy Sean Marsden, Dave Teuiti and Lee Jarvis.

Shane Williams celebrated his 100th game for Neath RFC with a little kick over the top from Moore which enabled speedy Shane to just dab the ball down before he went flying out of play into the advertising boards.

Arwel Thomas put Steve Winn over to score a late try but it was fat too late for a comeback even though Thomas converted the kick.

Neath's Shaun Connor had a dismal game with him dropping the ball every time he touched it and if he did manage to catch it he kicked it and his kicks were very poor all through the match. Kicking was poor from both sides and countless passes were dropped.

Scott Gibbs was sin-binned with the illegal use of the boot at a ruck which didn't help Swansea with their captain going off.

Then Lyn Jones decided some things needed to change with him bringing on a few substitutions with one of them being Hywel Jenkins who left Swansea at the end of last season. Surprisingly he had a good reception.

Team Lineups:

Swansea

K Morgan, S Payne, S Winn, S Gibbs (capt)

M Robinson, G Henson, S Cordingley,

D Morris, D Colclough, B Evans, J Slade,

J Griffiths, R Jenkins, C Charvis, D Thomas.

Neath

A Durston, S Marsden, D Tiueti, J Storey, S Williams,

S Connor, A Moore, D Jones, B Williams, A Jones,

A Newman, G Llewelyn (capt), A Mocelutu,

N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy.

 

Tries: Steve Winn (Swansea), Shane Williams (Neath), Andy Moore (Neath).

Conversions: Arwel Thomas (Swansea)

Penalties: Gavin Henson 3 (Swansea) Shaun Connor (Neath)

Drop Goals: Shaun Connor (Neath)

Yellow Cards: Scott Gibbs (Swansea)

Red Cards: -------------

Attendance: 4,000.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)