Swalec Bowl - Second Round

Tumble 3 Penybanc 17

Anyone witnessing the league fixture between the two sides three weeks ago would have assumed that Penybanc would coast through to the third round, however the fired-up Magpies had very different ideas.

From the first minute, the young hosts gave a ferocious defensive display and hit the Tigers ball carriers hard.

Banc had no answer and it took them 20 minutes to find their feet.

Only after they had regained their senses did a blindside break from scrum-half Owen Williams see returning wing Nathan Jenkins go over for his first score of the season.

The try appeared to settle Banc nerves, but Tumble hit back with a penalty before hard-running centre James Turrell crashed over for his first try for the Tigers.

Tumble threw everything at the visitors for the rest of the half but superb defence kept them out.

Banc, playing into the wind second half put boot to ball and played the percentages.

With the wind and rain worsening, both sides struggled in the conditions and it was not until the 70th minute that Williams dummied his way over to finally take the game away from the hosts. Higgins added the extras.

Banc skipper Adrian Pugh led from the front all day while Carl Rees also put in a big shift.

Huge credit goes to the home team also for a resolute defensive effort.