Bottom club Caerphilly outscored Neath by five tries to four but could not
prevent a home victory in a Welsh/Scottish league thriller at The Gnoll.
To add to the drama referee Tony Rowlands went off after 63 minutes when a
player apparently collided with him as Neath outside-half Lee Jarvis was
attempting a long-range penalty which went wide.
Rowlands, replaced by senior touch judge Hugh Banfield, went off looking
shaken and with a big lump under his left eye.
Neath then surged ahead 38-28, but almost immediately Caerphilly fly-half Luke
Richards scored a try which he failed to convert.
Jarvis hit a post with a 30 metre drop goal attempt two minutes into stoppage
time.
The replacement referee blew the final whistle after allowing just a little
more than two minutes' injury time - a surprise after the hold-up while the
original referee was attended to on the pitch before going off.
An estimated 3,500 crowd had earlier seen Caerphilly take a 7-3 lead after 12
minutes - but the visitors had to wait until the 55th minute before they were in
front again at 28-25.
Jarvis equalised with a 58th-minute drop goal and finished with 18 points to
bring his total this season to 145.
Richards, like Caerphilly scrum-half Andrew Jacobs a former Neath player -
passed 100 points for the season with a try and four conversions.
Caerphilly were seeking only their second league win in five attempts at
Neath, where there have never been more than seven points between the sides.
But it was to be Neath who would complete their first double over Caerphilly
since 1996/97.
In a flowing game Neath led 22-14 at half time with three tries against two.
Caerphilly cut the deficit to 22-21 two minutes into the second half as both
sides kept up the pace.
Caerphilly's part-timers dug deep for what would have been only their second
league win this season after recently beating Glasgow at home.
Full-back Gareth Morris and wing Kevin James scored two tries each for Neath.
Caerphilly, meanwhile, were full value for their five tries but could not peg
back the deficit at the death.
Teams
Neath:
Tries: Morris 2, K. James 2.
Cons: Jarvis 3.
Pens: Jarvis 3.
Drop Goals: Jarvis.
Caerphilly:
Tries: Greenslade-Jones, Moody, N. Watkins,
Richards, Morris.
Cons: Richards 4.
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