A Step Back in Time 1960-69

“A STEP BACK IN TIME”
( By Percy Jones)

29th APRIL 1967

CARMARTHEN CRUMBLE AFTER EARLY LEAD
(By kind permission of the Carmarthen Journal)

TUMBLE 27pts; CARMARTHEN 9 pts.

By Ieuan Jones

In their final match of the season at Parc-y-Mynydd-Mawr, Tumble completely overwhelmed the visitors, scoring seven tries and three conversions in reply to a try, a penalty goal and dropped goal. In doing so they achieved their best double of the season.

The visitors opened the scoring after defensive errors by Tumble. A foot rush by the Carmarthen forwards saw the Tumble defence at sea and prop Mike Thomas was there first with the touch-down. But Tumble soon equalised. After a line-out on the half way line, fly-half Kerri Davies gained possession and made a scintillating solo run weaving through the bewildered defence to sore a magnificent try.

QUICK HEEL

Tumble took the lead 10 minutes later, this time after a quick heel from a set scrummage 25 yards out. The ball was swiftly moved along the three-quarter line to right wing Tudor Lewis, who rounded the defence to score an excellent try. Just before half-time, Carmarthen then equalised, when fly-half Andy Barnett received the ball from a line-out 10 yards from the Tumble line and quickly dropped a goal under pressure.

During the second half it was Tumble all the way, with no real retaliation from the visitors. Tumble a far fitter, livelier side, outshone Carmarthen in both lines-out and set pieces and with this ample possession scored tries galore. Hooker Byron Richards broke clear from a line-out on the 25 yard line, shrugged off three would be tacklers and dived over for a good individualist try, near the corner flag.

Prop and captain Keith Williams sent the conversion attempt soaring between the uprights. They increased their lead soon after, when fly-half Kerri Davies made a break inside his own 25 yard line, passed out to centre Roy Harries, who under pressure finally transferred out to right winger Tudor Lewis. Hr rounded the opposition before coolly walking back behind the try line. Full-back Huw Lewis converted.

PENALISED

They scored yet again when the ball was swiftly moved across the field to centre Jeff Samuel, who sold a perfect dummy before tearing through to score. Though at this stage Carmarthen were literally run off their feet, they did reduce the arrears when Tumble were penalised for a scrummage infringement, Fly-half Andy Barnett had no trouble with his goal attempt from 25 yards. After a line-out near the half-way line the ball eventually reached right winger Tudor Lewis who, in turn, sprinted some 40 yards drawing in the defending full-back before passing to centre Roy Harries to touch down wide out for another superb try. Full-back Huw Lewis converted. The final try came about when a high cross-kick by fly-half Kerri Davies caught the defence napping. Left winger John Jones gathered, cut inside and sprinted away to score under the posts.