Sat 2nd May (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 21 Glynneath 6

Aberavon Quins were crowned champions of Division Three South West after disposing of second placed Glynneath. The Quins pack was in dominant mode but was guilty of indiscipline and the penalty count rose in favour of Glynneath and always kept them in contention in the opening quarter. The Quins defence was at its best as they constantly mowed down would be Glynneath attackers keeping their league tries against to an average of one per match. Outstanding defensive performance allied to some clever attacking contributions was to earn centre Gareth Pugh the sponsor’s accolade of ‘Man Of The Match’. Marc Sheppard eased the Quins ahead with a penalty which was soon cancelled out in like fashion by Rich Carter. The first half ended with scores even but with the Quins looking the stronger side.

From the second half restart Dan Owen and Colarusso slammed into the opposition and were unfortunate not to gain a score forcing Glynneath to drop out. Full back Mike Parfitt gathered the restart at the second attempt and set off on a devastating 60 metre run, flanker Craig Cox played a supporting role and winger Steve Colarusso was given a ‘one on one’ situation which he thrives upon and touched down in the corner. The back row of Owen, Rich Wanklyn & Craig Cox were in magnificent form and with locks Darren Gibbs and Billy Lavis in rampant mood the visitors were under heavy pressure.

The Quins scrimmage was totally dominant and Glynneath had little answer to the powerful Quins front row of Crockett, Davies & Hayden. Scrum half James Peplow- Williams made several incursions into Glynneath territory and stalwart centre Neil Pugsley as always contributed much in attack and defence. It was from a powerful surge that the smart Quins backs outfoxed the Glynneath defence and a lofted pass by centre Gareth Pugh put winger Adam Dawe on a try scoring sprint for the corner.

Sheppard added a penalty and with the Quins pack dominating proceedings it became clear that the title was theirs. Craig Cox then produced his trade mark try with a front peel from a Darren Gibbs line out take and support from Dan Owen. A serious injury to a Glynneath player held up proceedings for twenty minutes and the game ended with the Quins dominant even though playing much of the second half with fourteen men. In the latter stages the Quins strength in depth was evident as players of the calibre of hooker Paul Miller, Prop Richard Diaz and flanker Chris Jones joined the fray and when Sheppard limped off, Ashley Davies slotted in at fly half to control things

Coach John Rees was a very proud man and stated that when called upon to ‘dig in’ at various times of the season his players responded resulting in a great day for the club.

Leading try scorer, Steve Colarusso stated It was the best season he had ever had and Skipper Richard Wanklyn commented on how honoured he felt to lead this team to promotion and thanked the dedication of coaches Dave M’Grath & John Rees.

In the club house later the Supporters Club presented their ‘Player of the Year’ trophy to back rower Daniel Owen.

Sat 25th April (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 33 Maesteg Celtic 8

In blustery conditions with the occasional heavy shower Celtic fought hard and it was not until a final flurry in the dying moments that the Quins gained the valuable bonus point. The Quins pack was in dominant mood and controlled much of the game. But in the early stages the backs failed to break down the tough tackling Celts. An early penalty goal by Marc Sheppard gave the Quins an early lead which was soon cancelled out by a long range effort from Lee Bumford. The Quins pack was in rampant mood with prop Lloyd Haydn, locks Darren Gibbs and Craig Cox shining. Some nice runs by winger Adam Dawe and scrum half, Marcus David threatened the home defence and when Sheppard placed a penalty touch finder 5 metres out it was a Darren Gibbs take and support from Dan Owen that saw Craig Cox score in the corner. Some strong running by centre Christian Jenkins tested the Quins defence with good contributions from Pugsley and Gareth Pugh and some great work by No’8 Daniel Owen.  Sheppard added a penalty to make it 11-3 at the break.

Injury to Gareth Pugh brought Ashley Davies into fly half and Sheppard into the centre. Davies quickly got to grips with the situation and moved the ball quickly across the back line and the Quins backs started to compliment the great work by their pack. Strong running wings, Adam Dawe and Steve Colarusso came more into the picture and Celtic defended heroically at times. Good work by Ash Davies then unleashed Colarusso and although held the ball was moved in great style and Pugsley took a scoring pass from Chris Jones. Injury forced outstanding flanker and skipper Richard Wanklyn from the field and the Quins were fortunate to have a replacement of the calibre of veteran Ricky Parfitt. Hooker James Davies left the field in the closing minutes after a job well done and Paul Miller joined the struggle. With minutes left the Quins fans were content with a victory but in a final flurry Sheppard slotted a penalty and converted a Miller try before Colarusso rounded off a sweeping move by claiming the bonus point try which Sheppard improved. The last move of the match saw Christian Jenkins cap his fine display for Maesteg Celtic with a corner try. All eyes now will be on the final league match with Glynneath at Harlequin Road.

Sat 18th April (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 5 Tondu 27

The race for the title in division three south west was thrown wide open by Tondu’s demolition of the Quins. The game was played at a furious pace throughout and the gauntlet was thrown down by the home backs early on when a blistering move saw winger Darren Morgan cross within five minutes. It was clear from the start that the Quins backs were in for a difficult afternoon. Morgan grabbed his second try after ten minutes before the Quins adapted to the pace. The visiting pack more than held their own at the set pieces but whenever Tondu were in possession they always threatened. Quins back row of Craig Cox, Dan Owen and skipper Richard Wanklyn were always to the fore and some driving forward play gave some hope to the Quins fans. Strong running from wingers Adam Dawe and Steve Colarusso gave the Quins more confidence and full back Mike Parfitt’s touchline dash and chip through saw Colarusso swoop on the ball only to be held up. Sheppard’s two penalty misses did not help the Quins’ cause but with a little help from the wind and slope in the second half, hopes were high.

The Quins eight were in great form but it was the inability of the Quins backs to change their adventurous style to a tighter approach led to their downfall. Fly half Smithson was in commanding form for Tondu as was full back Dean Thomas. Smithson’s attempt at a drop goal was woefully wide but the Quins were guilty of letting the ball bounce and centre Mathew Davies accepted the gift try. Thomas converted. Smithson added a penalty. Quins got on the scoreboard with a trade mark Craig Cox try from a line out take by Gibbs. Tondu then put the icing on the cake as Craig Fox skated over for a bonus point try which Smithson improved.

Wed 15th April - Silver Ball Semi-Final
Aberavon Harlequins 29 Bridgend Sports 15

The first meeting since the inception of the National Leagues between these old adversaries set the stage for this Glamorgan Silver Ball semi-final clash. In nigh on perfect conditions with a breeze backing the Quins it was the Sports that appeared more eager to attack and flanker, Dowling carried the ball well in the early stages. An early skirmish into Sports territory saw Quins skipper Wanklyn scorch through and the skipper was just hauled down short. Despite some gritty play by the Sports the Quins appeared to gain the upper hand mainly through the very strong running of wings Colarusso and Dawe who were very well supported my full back Mike Parfitt. Parfitt soon had to exhibit his speed and skill in tracking back to foil an interception that looked all over a try for Boobyer. It was Parfitt’s turn to attack seconds later as a great touchline sprint spread eagled the Sports defence and Adam Dawe touched down close to the posts. Marc Sheppard converted. More pressure came from the Quins as their nervous start seemed to disappear and very strong forward play produced a try for Quins flanker Craig Cox after immense pressure from replacement No.8 Daniel Owen, lock Darren Gibbs and prop Neil Crocket. With half time approaching it was Gareth Pugh who took the ball from Karl Davies’ restart catch and winger Steve Colarusso turned up on his opposite wing to put Marcus David over under the posts. Sheppard converted to make the Quins 19-0 up at half time.

All the pundits were waiting for the Quins to overwhelm the Sports in the second half but the Sports ripped up the script and stung the Quins when scrum half Morgan and fly half Townley stretched the Quins defence and Lorrimer who arguably was the best forward on view crashed through would be Quins defenders on many occasions and winger Narberth crossed for his side’s first points. The kick failed but the Sports were galvanised into action as the Quins confidence faltered and scrum half Morgan again scurried through for the Sports, Lorrimer crashed over wide out. Townley again missed the difficult conversion but soon hoisted some high ‘Up & Unders’ to disturb the Quins defence. The game became more scrappy for a while as the Quins composure was swept away and when Lorrimer crossed for his second try to make the score 19-15 The sports were in with a chance. The Quins pack however were dominant in the scrums and lines out. With Darren Gibbs and Billy Lavis in no mood to be out done. The Sports back line although lacked the cutting edge of the Quins used the long kick and chase to great effect. The Quins weathered the fight back of the Bridgend side and as more forward pressure was piled on the Sports the respective benches were brought into play and the Quins had more to offer. The result was almost settled when flanker Craig Harold Cox executed a front peel from a Darren Gibbs lineout take and dived over. As injuries and tiredness took their toll on the Sports, veteran replacement Rick Parfitt engineered a turn over for Aussie replacement centre Tristrom Storm to dive in at the corner.

A final tussle now awaits the Quins with Llantwit Fardre

Sat 11th April (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 22 Nantyffyllon 3

As the title race reaches its climax the Quins effectively ended Nantyffyllon’s hopes with this hard earned but thoroughly deserved victory. The Quins defence was magnificent throughout and the much vaunted Nanty three-quarter line that tore the Tondu defence apart the week previous found the Quins defence a much harder nut to crack.

The game started in sensational fashion when Skipper Darren Gibbs got amongst the would be catchers of the kick off, the ball was shovelled back to Nanty fly half Healy  who had his clearing kick charged down by No.8 Daniel Owen for speedy flanker Chris Jones to touch down Sheppard converted to put his team seven points up.

Stung by this reverse the Nanty pack ripped into the home eight and mounted several attacks. Veteran scrum half Lloyd Padget slung out a stream of flat passes and also disrupted any scrum ball the Quins hooked. The Quins defenders stood firm and the amount of tackles made by the home back row was remarkable. The visitor’s shaded the line out but the scrums were evenly contested. Nanty locks Craig Walker and Alan Phillips were in great form and busy hooker Gary Davies contributed several typical runs. The Quins weathered the storm and some stern defensive work by the home side with the inside trio of fly half Marc Sheppard and centres Neil Pugsley and Gareth Pugh outstanding, the Quins made progress and Sheppard missed a long range penalty goal. Speedy flanker Jones was forced from the field through an injury and the Quins were fortunate to have a replacement of the calibre of Billy Lavis. Minutes later it was long serving hooker Paul Miller had to head for the changing room but young James Davies took over to such an extent that he earned the sponsor’s accolade of ‘Man of the Match’.

It was Nanty who were in the driving seat mainly through the line out work of Phillips and Walker but their backs were in woeful form as the tough tackling Quins unnerved them and forced into watching would be tacklers rather than the ball.

A rare venture into Nanty territory saw the Quins awarded a straight penalty from 30 metres and Sheppard slammed it home to take his season’s total past the 200 mark.

A brilliant solo run out of defence by Quins winger Steve Colarusso then ripped the Nanty defence apart and weaved his way eighty metres only to be dragged down under the cross bar by Andrew John and although onlookers testified that the Quins man had grounded the ball, no blame could be attached to ref Simon Wycherley for not granting the score as no ref could have kept up with the Quins flier. From the resulting drop out it was Colarusso who fielded the ball, ducked under a tackle and flanker Craig Cox made ground along the touchline before feeding strong running full back Mike Parfitt who almost broke clear but when tackled slipped a pass to James Peplow-Williams and the scrum half touched down wide out. The Quins were slowly gaining the upper hand and a slashing break by centre Gareth Pugh with support from co-centre Neil Pugsley and Mike Parfitt almost gained another score.

Starting the second half 15-0 to the good it was still a great battle up front with the both packs loathe to give an inch but it became clear that the visiting backs were never going to break down the home defence. Sheppard stretched the lead with a penalty before Healy hit back in like fashion for Nanty. The visitors forced their way to the Quins line but alert full back Parfitt engineered a quick drop out and took play deep into Nanty territory and the visiting pack started to tire. The visiting backs were reduced to rather aimless kicking which the Quins defence handled quite easily and when a rare handling move was attempted by Nanty it was Gareth Pugh’s mighty tackle that dislodged the ball and winger Adam Dawe went full throttle from 60 metres to score under the posts Sheppard converted to complete a well earned victory.         

Sat 4th April (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 15 Skewen 7

The Quins ran out deserved winners in a hard fought but not ill tempered game. With a cross wind slightly favouring them the Quins swarmed to the attack and No.8 Dan Owen was almost over in the opening minutes. Fly half Marc Sheppard was just short with a long range penalty before Skewen stung the visitors with a top class try started from deep in their own territory. Slick handling between backs and forwards bemused the Quins defenders and Phil Hughes crossed under the bar for a spectacular try. Anthony Buselli converted for a 7-0 lead. The Quins were unsettled for a period and it was winger Steve Colarusso and skipper Richard Wanklyn who put in some telling runs.  The Skewen tactic of hoisting high kicks was dealt with admirably by Full back Mike Parfitt and wingers Adam Dawe and Colarusso. Relentless pressure from the Quins eight took play deep into home ground and although the visitors battered their way through, the home defenders did well. Eventually the pressure paid off as centre Gareth Pugh and Owen hammered their way up field and smart play from Sheppard and Parfitt put Colarusso over in the corner. This score really galvanised the Quins and they soon took the lead when a good forward drive and smart work by scrum half James Peplow-Williams saw Parfitt finish with a devastating run brushing aside would be tacklers. Sheppard converted for a 12-7 half time lead.

The second half was all about team spirit as the Quins pack fought to the point of exhaustion. Props Lloyd Haydn and Richard Diaz together with Hooker Paul Miller ensured their scrum had the upper hand. The lines out did not work at 100% but both Gibbs and Lavis won enough ball to foil Skewen. Skewen adopted an open style of attack but their threequarters were scythed down by Quins defenders and when they changed their attack to close quarter forward drives they met their match with  stout defence with Craig Cox and Owen in top form. Sheppard concluded the scoring with a penalty from the ten metre line. The coaches decision of naming four forwards as replacements paid off as James Davies, Karl Davies, Andrew Dacey and particularly Chris Jones brought fresh legs to the fray. Jones was on hand to make three telling tackles and gain a turn over as Skewen strove to get on terms. In the closing moments they faltered and frittered away chances in the face of the fierce tackling Quins.

Sat 28th March (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 24 Maesteg Quins 6

Passive scrimmaging was the order of the day at Harlequin Road as Maesteg Quins could not field a front row. This took away the much respected pack power of the home side and produced a poor spectacle for onlookers.

Playing with a strong wind at their backs each Maesteg Quins scrum became in effect a free kick and long clearances were frequently in evidence. Home full back Mike Parfitt and flanker Bill Lavis took play to the visitors in the early stages but it was Gareth Lewis who started the scoreboard ticking over with a straight penalty goal.

Making headway against the strong wind was difficult for the Aberavon Quins but wingers Adam Dawe & Steve Colarusso made a typical runs from defence. Centre Gareth Pugh put the home side ahead with a clever chip and gathered to dive over for an unconverted try.

Lewis regained the lead for the visitors with his second penalty just before the end of an untidy half.

Aberavon Quins just could not adapt to the passive scrimmaging and it was left to Marc Sheppard to gain the lead with a penalty goal and as the visitors continually transgressed a yellow card was waved that gave no advantage whatsoever to the home side. Strong play from props Lloyd Haydn and Richard Diaz and busy No.8 Daniel Owen put Aberavon Quins in the driving seat in the loose but it was Sheppard who banged another two penalties over before reverting to full back allowing replacement Ashley Davies to occupy the No.10 Shirt. After a shaky start Davies showed his opportunism by dribbling a loose ball from close to half way and skilfully pick up and dive over. Sheppard rushed the failed conversion in an effort to gain time for bonus points. Good work by flanker Richard Wanklyn created some space and Sheppard put centre Neil Pugsley over in the last move of the match.

Wed 25th March (Neutral)
Aberavon Harlequins 25 Bryncoch 16
Silver Ball - Quarter Finals

Aberavon Quins gained a semi final tie against Bridgend Sports by accounting for Bryncoch in an entertaining Glamorgan Silver Ball encounter at Llynfi Rd Maesteg.

Playing against the stiff breeze the Quins opened the Bryncoch defence inside five minutes with some smart handling and winger Steve Colarusso brought the crowd to it’s feet with a remarkable side stepping try scoring sprint to the line. Sheppard missed the conversion and had an unusually off day with his goal kicking. His half back partnership with scrum half James Peplow-Williams played a vital role in the Quins victory. Jonathan Davies struck a good penalty and soon added a second to ease Bryncoch in front by one point. The Quins pack raised the ante and powerful driving play saw lock, Billy Lavis dive over after good approach work by Peplow-Williams and flanker Craig Cox. The Quins defence was once again superbly marshalled and some stand out tackling came from Colarusso and No.8 Daniel Owen. Owen also provided some hard yards and prop Neil Crocket was the pick of the pack in the early exchanges. Lloyd Hayden continued to prove what a valuable asset he is and together with hooker James Davies was at the heart of the Quins endeavour. Full back Mike Parfitt was always keen to counter attack whenever possible and good support from hard running Adam Dawe set up a position close to the line and Cox forced his way over. Lavis was given ten minutes in the bin and Davies notched his third penalty for Bryncoch. The Quins pack was in no mood to be vanquished and although reduced to seven men still controlled things well.

15-9 up at the start of the wind assisted second half the Quins swarmed to the attack and flanker Richard Wanklyn had a great solo run along the touchline only to fall just short. The centres Gareth Pugh and Neil Pugsley probed constantly and a deft grubber kick by Sheppard found no full back at home for Bryncoch and Pugsley touched down almost unopposed. The result became inevitable when a Darren Gibbs take at the line out supported by Dan Owen saw Cox grab his second try. Wholesale replacements by the Quins disrupted their effort but with a tight finish to the league season looming, care was taken to avoid ‘burn out’. In the last second of the game replacement lock, Adam Williams gained a consolation try for Bryncoch which Davies converted giving the final score the appearance of being a little closer than it actually was.

Sat 14th March (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 11 Glynneath 9

Glynneath won this all important clash , in an exciting encounter  where vital points were at stake. Both sides showed their willingness to run the ball in the opening minutes but it was a 40 metre Simon Knoyle penalty that opened the scoring putting the home side in front.It was'nt a night for kickers as firstly , Quins Marc Sheppard , missed an easy kick from in front of the posts before making amends from the restart to fire over a 22 metre effort.Glynneath should have been out of site but missed an incredible seven shots at goal . GLynneath came close on a few occasions to scoring the games first try but some poor final passing and superb defence by the Quins denied them certain scores.Against the run of play, Quins Marc Sheppard put his side in front with a penalty that went over via the upright.

The visitors were guilty of killing the game at the breakdowns in the first half, denying Glynneath possesion and couldn't complain when the referee reached for his cards after the interval dispatching two players to the bin in quick succession. Glynneath crossed for the first try of the game when no8 Stuart Leach powered over for a try from a five yard scrum.Allthough Glynneath had more of the game and even more clear cut chances to seal the game , there was a sting in the tail. Quins who seemed to be against the ropes saw them kick deep into the Glynneath half and were awarded a penalty which Sheppard converted. Glynneath were not to be denied and from the restart they took the game to their opponents and another Quins infringement gave Glynneath a chance to secure a well deserved victory. Simon Knoyle who had a disastrous night with the boot , kept his cool to slot over the winning kick to give his side victory. full time Glynneath 11 Aberavon Quins 9

Sat 7th March (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 15 Tondu 7

The Quins were made to battle hard against a gritty Seven Sisters outfit as well as the rain swept conditions. The visitors set off on the road to victory just two minutes into the game when fly half Marc Sheppard carved an opening from half way. His kick ahead posed problems in the home defence and centre Neil Pugsley hacked on and dived over for a try. Seven fly half Kyle Davies kicked well for his side although maybe a little too often. Quin’s full back Mike Parfitt was always strong on the counter attack and it was mainly due to the wet conditions that his breaks did not produce a score. Evergreen scrum half Jamie Morgan was thoroughly at home in the conditions and when he fielded a poor kick from Seven he chipped cleverly for Steve Colarusso to gather and take play to the line and Morgan was on hand to take a scoring pass. Sheppard converted. The Quins eight were far superior in the set scrums and the front row trio of Richard Diaz, James Davies and Lloyd Hayden contributed much to the general play. Neil Smith at No.8 for Seven Sisters worked bravely at the back of a retreating scrum and often rescued his team when in trouble.

Pugsley fielded a rather aimless kick from Seven and launched a counter that enabled Colarusso to show his dazzling footwork to completely outwit would be tacklers to touch down in the corner.

Kyle Davies put the home side on the scoreboard with a penalty goal before a Darren Gibbs take at a close in line out allowed flanker Craig Cox a bonus point try from a planned move straight from the training ground. Sheppard converted from the touchline and soon added a penalty goal.

The Quins pack were just too strong for the home eight and No.8 Daniel Owen was in great form as was skipper Darren Gibbs.

To their credit Seven Sisters never gave up and produced one of the best passages of play with forwards and backs combining to take play the length of the pitch and flanker Daniel Owen scored a well deserved try. The Quins however were good value for their win and although some good attacks were mounted from centre James Owen and flanker Chris Jones the conditions foiled any attempt at further try scoring.

In the Shadow XV fixture against Seven Sisters the Quins ran out 27- 7 winners’ thanks to good displays from Lee Crockett, Scott Roberts & Cadfan Edwards.

Edwards grabbed two tries and youth players Mathew Morgan and Danny Moore also crossed. Aussie import Simon Pritchard also touched down and added a conversion.

As the season enters run in all eyes will be on Glynneath as they entertain the Quins next Friday evening.

Sat 28th Feb (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 15 Tondu 7

In a magnificent struggle worthy of league leaders, the Quins gained a hard earned victory through the gifted boot of fly half Marc Sheppard allied to a great forward effort.

From the kick off the Quins eight powered into the visitors and within two minutes Sheppard banged over a 45 metre penalty goal. He added another 5 minutes later and it was some time before Tondu got into their stride. For the visitors, scrum half Sam Rees put in some good runs and Dean Thomas always looked dangerous running from full back. The visitors swept into the lead when Ian Boobyer spun out of a maul and although hauled down short of the line he gave a scoring pass to fellow flanker Nathan Brown. Thomas converted to ease Tondu in front.

From the restart Quins open side, Chris Jones tapped back for No.8 Dan Owen and when the ball was rifled back to Sheppard the fly half banged in a 40 Metre dropped goal. The Quins then were subjected to immense pressure but the defence held firm. Brown was held up over the home line and from the ensuing scrum Quins hooker James Davies saved his side with a take against the head.

The second half saw the Tondu effort get stronger and the Quins were penned in their own half for long periods. Fly half Paul Smithson almost prised open the home defence on several occasions but the resolute Quins defence held out. Thomas missed four penalties which were well within his normal compass and the Quins pack led by skipper Richard Wanklyn rolled the visitors back Props, Lloyd Haydn Neil Crockett and replacement Richard Diaz were in great form as was No 8 Daniel Owen . Mike Parfitt was rock steady at full back and combined well with wingers Jamie Lean and Steve Colarusso in attacking sorties.

The Quins eight were getting noticeably stronger in the scrums and a great drive earned a penalty shot and Sheppard obliged from in front of the posts. Tondu threw everything at the Quins but tacklers such as centres Neil Pugsley and James Owen were in no mood to succumb.

The Quins second row partnership of Darren Gibbs and Craig Cox were in top form and appeared at the heart of every home forward drive.

Sheppard robbed Tondu of a losing bonus point when he banged over his fourth penalty and leave his club 6 points clear at the top of Division 3 Southwest.

Sat 21st Feb (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 38 Briton Ferry 5

The Ferry battled hard in an encounter far closer that the final score-line suggests but their lack of success with goal kicking cost them any chance of  a respectable result.

The visitors started smartly and the Quins appeared flat footed and the defence was sorely tested. Good variation of play from fly half Chris Jones took play to the Quins five metre line and a sharply taken tapped penalty saw No.8 Craig Kelly crash over.

Stung by the early reverse the Quins swung into action. Marc Sheppard landed a straight penalty and then put in a long kick through only for winger Adam Dawe to be thwarted by the bounce of the ball. Good driving play from the home pack pressurised the Ferry defence into a loose clearing kick which was gathered by lock Karl Davies and support from flanker Richard Wanklyn and Neil Pugsley put Steve Colarusso on a long run in for a try which Sheppard converted. As pressure mounted on the visitor’s eight a flood of penalties came the Quins way and Sheppard slotted three to make the half time lead 19-5.

The second half began with Ferry reduced to 14 men due to a yellow card but as in the first half they stared well, but they had little answer to the speedy counter attacking of wingers Dawe and Colarusso who always had fullback Mike Parfitt in support. A rare first XV appearance for loose head Jon Agar went well and the Quins could do with him on a more regular basis.  James Peplow-Williams made a slicing break from scrum-half  and Pugsley linked with fellow centre Gareth Pugh who raced over. Sheppard converted. The Quins with two tries under their belt now looked to a bonus point but Ferry battled hard and time was running out . The Quins front row of Agar, Miller & Crockett were replaced by Lloyd Collins, James Davies & Andrew Dacey and immediately pocket battleship, Davies made his presence felt with strong play in the loose and tight situations. Replacement scrum half Jamie Morgan was quickly into action and several quickly taken penalties stretched Ferry and Dan Owen capped another tireless performance with a try late on . Sheppard converted and in the last move of the game Dawe raced clear only to be brought down with a blatant trip giving referee Steve Cavanagh no option but to award a penalty try which Sheppard improved. The fly half was awarded the sponsors player of the match award

All eyes will now turn to Harlequin Road next Saturday when the league leaders entertain second placed Tondu in the first meeting of the two clubs this season.

In the meeting of the Shadow XVs at the Ferry the Quins ran riot with a 12 try demolition job. Jamie Lean grabbed a hat trick, Phill Williams had two as did James Owen there was one each for Anthony Thomas, Scott Roberts, Tristam Storm, Glen Williams & Kris Trolley . Simmons converted five and Storm one for a final tally of 72-0

Sat 7th Feb (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 23 Morriston 13

Aberavon Harlequins moved to the top of Division 3 South West by grinding out a hard earned win at Morriston.

The home team started at a furious pace and the Quins were knocked out of their stride early on and their defensive qualities were tested to the utmost.  Ten minutes into the game the Quins pack settled in and started to exert pressure at the scrum. A strong run by centre Gareth Pugh took play into home territory but the Morriston defence stood firm. Full back Mike Parfitt put in a typically powerful gallop to threaten the home line. The Quins eight came on strong with Karl Davies & Darren Gibbs well to the fore. A cleanly hooked scrum enabled smart work between fly half Marc Sheppard, centre Neil Pugsley and winger Jamie Lean. Pugsley scored at the corner flag.  The Quins tried to defy the heavy conditions with some risky but entertaining play and after a Gibbs line out win Parfitt knifed through beneath the bar and Sheppard converted.

The Quins continued their open approach but came unstuck when a counter run by dazzling winger Sean Richards set up a scoring position. The Quins were forced into illegal defensive tactics and forward Lloyd Haydn & Rhys Andrews were yellow carded. Morriston took full advantage of their numerical superiority and Terry Palmer crossed for an unconverted try. A sweeping three-quarter move saw the home side edge closer to the Quins line and John Jenkins crossed for a classy try. Palmer failed with both conversions but put his side ahead with a fine penalty goal.

The Quins then changed their approach and expert kicking by Sheppard rewarded the efforts of the 6 man pack. When restored to full numbers the Quins exerted strong pressure of their hard working eight Hooker Glen Williams contributed a few telling runs and some equally telling tackles. Dan Owen combined with Craig Cox to put in some bursts from the back row.
 Centre Gareth Pugh pounced on some poor passing by the Morriston threes to hack on from half way and dribble to the line for a touchdown. Sheppard converted. Then at a vital point it seemed incredible that Morriston replaced scrum half Ben Collins who was by far the best back on view. The Quins were well glad to see him go as he was a constant threat throughout. The Morriston forward effort waned and Sheppard added two penalties and on the final whistle there was a mad scramble for the ball over the Morriston line but the home defence thwarted the Quins attempt at a bonus point try.

Sat 31st Jan (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 49 Kenfig Hill 0

Memories of the past struggles between these two clubs were banished in a one sided affair.

The Quins pack were in total control with the Quins props Crockett, Haydn and replacement Diaz just too strong for the Mules, giving scrum half James Peplow-Williams the opportunity to control things and it was a dart from him that opened the scoring, great support from lock Darren Gibbs saw fly half Marc Sheppard dive over . Gibbs figured prominently in the next score by winning a close in line out and it was blind side flanker Craig Cox who slipped a scoring pass to open side Richard Wanklyn. Gibbs again ran strongly and support from Prop Lloyd Haydn and lock Karl Davies put Jamie Lean in for a try. Playing downhill the Quins failed to secure the bonus point by half time.

Up the slope however did not hamper the Quins and it was Gibbs again showing line out skill that allowed Cox to dive in. Sheppard added a penalty and  added a conversion to a try by Gareth Pugh after smart work by co-centre Neil Pugsley. Cox and Karl Davies then combined well for Pugsley to stroll over. Replacement hooker Glen Williams then figured strongly in several attacks and he combined well with Adam Dawe for No.8 Daniel Owen to cap a great display with a try. Sheppard converted and also improved the final score by Jamie Lean

Sat 17th Jan (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 52 Tonna 5

Due to the poor condition of the Harlequin Road pitch, Aberavon RFC provided the facilities at the Talbot Athletic Ground for the Div 3 West fixture.
The Quins fleet footed backs were in devastating form and excelled on the superb playing surface scoring eight spectacular tries. Although most of the plaudits rightly belonged to the backs it was up front that Tonna’s fate was sealed as the strong Quins tight forwards dismantled the Tonna set pieces. The visitors had little answer to the work of props Richard Diaz & Lloyd Haydn and hooker James Davies had a busy game celebrated by his first try for the club. The game opened at a furious pace and full back, Mike Parfitt set the standard by running out of defence, spreading would-be tacklers far and wide and mesmerising support play between flanker Richard Wanklyn and Jamie Lean produce a try for Lean. Marc Sheppard converted.
It was Parfitt’s turn to get on the score sheet as clever distribution by fly half Ashley Davies allowed the full back to cleave his way through from some distance. Sheppard converted.  More scintillating play followed and Jamie Lean produced a remarkable effort when beating off all attempts to bring him down and dived in after a long sprint. The Quins support play was of top quality as forwards and backs combined to mesmerise the Tonna defenders. 19 points in 15 minutes and the game was almost over as a contest when a rare Quins error saw a miss kick out of defence allowed a brave Tonna counter and Chris Jones deserved his try. Quins hit back in superb style as No.8, Dan Owen rounded off another sweeping Quins move. Allowing Sheppard to convert making the half time score 26-5 and the bonus point gained.

The Quins locks, Darren Gibbs and Karl Davies had a great day and Davies as always was a rock when receiving the restarts
Skipper Richard Wanklyn was in great form and popped up in many of the Quins try scoring moves and deserved his touchdown at the start of the second half. James Davies then grabbed his try which Mike Parfitt converted. Steve Colarusso then produced a most memorable run started on the left flank close to the touchline in his own 22 and ended beneath the Tonna crossbar. The final score was rather unusual in the fact that due to a replacement mix-up Tonna had sixteen players on the field but still the Quins produced some memorable combined play for Neil Pugsley to score and Parfitt ended the carnage with the conversion.

The Quins development XV also recorded a good win at Court Herbert by outscoring Neat Athletic II  31-10 Quins try scorers were Darren Flynn (2), Jamie Gibbs (2) and Marcus Lovell. Flynn added three conversions.

Fri 26th Dec (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 32 Maesteg Celtic 14

Although reduced to fourteen men for threequarters of the game due to the red carding of Chris Jones the Quins proved far too strong for the Celts who only threatened when a yellow card for Marc Sheppard reduced the Quins to thirteen.men.

The seven man pack put in a stirling display with locks Daqrren Gibbs and Karl Davies in commanding form and it was business as usual for the front row trio of Haydn, Miller and Diaz. It was strong running full back, Mike Parfitt who set the scoreboard in motion by producing a speedy run out of defence and skillfull handling at pace by Neil Pugsley and Marc Sheppard put Colarusso away to score beneath the bar. Sheppard converted and soon added a penalty goal. When a scuffle broke out it was Jones who was carded but strong forward play produced quality ball and a smart run around by Pugsley resulted in him touching down. Sheppard converted from a wide angle. Totally against the run of play Celtic gained a foothold in Quins territory and a sharply taken penalty resulted in a score. The Quins swept back to the attack and Adam Dawe stormed over. Sheppard again goaled from a wide angle and soon added a penalty and it was No.8 Craig Cox who peeled around the front of a line out to grab the bonus point try.

Sun 20th Dec (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 14 Llantwit Vardre 22

The Quins bowed out of this season’s Swalec cup in a fiercely contested epic at Central Park. The home side started at a furious pace with their pack dominating the early exchanges. The midfield defence of the Quins with centres Neil Pugsley and James Owen and fly half Sheppard bravely flattening would be attackers. Sheppard was unlucky to see a penalty attempt against the wind strike an upright before Llantwit swept to the attack with some good recycling play left the Quins defence outnumbered and Goldsworthy touched down at the corner. Thomas converted .

The Quins quickly got on terms when hooker James Davies joined the three quarters with a devastating run and support from full back Mike Parfitt gave ace finisher Jamie Lean a half chance which he took well. Sheppard converted to level the scores. The home side then appeared to adopt some very cynical tactics and the referee who was keen on technical offences allowed flailing boots and cheap shots go unpunished. The home side again attacked hard and were dominating the lines out but their backs lacked the cutting edge and were constantly mowed down and none shone brighter in defence than winger Steve Colarusso. Outstanding flanker Richard Wanklyn raised the siege with an interception and galloped seventy metres and James Owen was on hand to touch down under the posts. Owen was subjected to an attack after grounding the ball and when James Peplow Williams went to his aid he was yellow carded. Starting the second half 14-7 to the good the Quins suffered another blow when Chris Jones was carded for infringing the 10 metre rule at a penalty. As the ref continually ignored the misuse of the boot the home side regained the lead with a good try from Dai Thomas and a penalty by Chris Thomas. With twenty minutes remaining the veteran front rowers Paul Miller and Andrew Dacey entered the fray and the home pack was immediately put under pressure in the scrums and although they showed a reluctance to scrimmage the ref refused to punish them. Although they exerted huge pressure in the dying moments the Quins just failed to get on terms and a late try by scrum half Thomas sealed their fate.

Sat 6th Dec (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 6 Nantyffyllon 10

It was business as usual for the Quins as once more their hopes were dashed at Blosse Street. In a hard fought encounter the home side deserved their victory and appeared to shade the Quins in the vital aspects of the game. The half back combination of O’Connor and Healey forged the victory out of the hard work of their formidable pack. Indeed it was fortunate for the Quins that fly half Healey was hampered by an early leg injury. The Quins main hope lay in their wingers Adam Dawe and Steve Colarusso but stern home defence starved them of possession. Healey eased Nanty ahead with an early penalty goal and some great forward play enabled the home threequarters to create the overlap for Andrew John to score a fine try. Healey converted. The Quins were constantly on the back foot until flanker Richard Wanklyn burst through into home territory and gained a penalty chance which was unusually missed by Marc Sheppard. It was then puzzling why two other kickable chances were spurned as the Quins elected for the touch line.

10-0 down at the break the Quins put in a huge effort and Dawe slammed into the opposition and when the ball was switched to the opposite wing it took superb defending to hold up Colarusso on the line. Sheppard put in a huge relieving kick and Colarusso was on hand to kick on and fly half Ash Davies appeared to have scored but the ref ruled that the ball was over the dead ball line, which not everyone agreed with. Good pressure by the Quins eight gave Sheppard the chance to open his account with a penalty and he soon added another as the visitors tried desperately to engineer a victory. It was a good effort from the Quins but as the seconds ticked away it was the home side that pressed hard and were unlucky not be awarded a try late on. The Quins were left to reflect on their first league defeat of the season.

Sat 15th Nov (Away) SWALEC Cup R3
Aberavon Harlequins 17 Ystalafera 6

Aberavon Quins deserved their win at Ystalafera but were given a stern test particularly from the youthful home front row of Kieran Lloyd, Jon Williams and Dan White. A good performance from lock Alun Guerrier always kept Fera on the front foot in the early stages but Marc Sheppard  eased the visitors in front with a penalty goal. The Quins defence were given a stern test and emergency full back Mike Parfitt put in a superb performance. Had the home backs handled better they might have stretched the Quins even further. Damian James dropped a smart goal after great forward play to level the scores. After a win against the put in the home side surged forward and deservedly took the lead through a James penalty.

Early in the second half the home pack tired and when replacement front rowers Richard Diaz and Paul Miller joined the fray the home pack buckled. A hurried home clearance kick was gathered by winger Steve Colarusso deep in Quins territory. He took play to half way and Parfitt powered his way through to give flanker Chris Jones a sprint to the line. Sheppard converted. Ystalafera struggled back but were gradually overwhelmed and when Miller bustled through it was Richard Wanklyn was on hand and the skipper dashed over from 30 metres. Sheppard converted to ensure victory.

Sat 1st Nov (Home)
Aberavon Harlequins 21 Skewen 16

In their stiffest test so far this season the Quins recovered from a horrendous start to run out worthy winners and considered themselves a little unfortunate not to gain a bonus point.

The visitors started at great pace and their youthful but light pack swarmed to the attack and it was Tony Buselli who started the scoreboard ticking over with a well struck penalty goal.

Skewen then increased their lead when a passing move appeared to break down but a speculative fly back wrong footed the Quins defence and Paul Hughes exhibited good handling skills to touch down between the posts. Buselli converted and with the wind at their backs Skewen played with confidence but it was the home eight that slowly laid the foundation of the home victory. Buselli added two more penalties before the clinical demolition of the visitors’ set scrum put the Quins on the front foot and incisive running from full back Mike Parfitt and centre Gareth Pugh gained a foothold in Skewen territory. Fleet footed flanker, Chris Jones romped home from 30 metres to gain the Quins opening score. Parfitt, who was pressed into service as an emergency full back, came through the test with flying colours and he instigated many attacks from defensive situations. Even though they had a stiff breeze at their backs Skewen made little progress  but kept their lead through the educated boot of Buselli who  made it 16 -5 at half time.

With the wind behind them the Quins swarmed to the attack and the Skewen defence was stretched to its limit and it was left to fly half Ashley Davies to narrow the gap with a smartly dropped goal. The game became a stop start affair as the ref distributed yellow cards with gay abandon and at one time the Quins were reduced to thirteen men as between the teams, five yellow cards were waved. The Quins eight were totally dominant in the scrums and inside centre Gareth Pugh was an incisive runner and cut the deficit with a penalty goal. It was Pugh who combined with co-centre Neil Pugsley who accepted a Dan Owen pass to work ‘Speedy’ Steve Colarusso into space and the devastating finisher needed no second bidding to sprint around would-be defenders to score wide out. With the scores level it was the Quins eight that crept forward yard by yard and a tremendous touch finder from Ash Davies gained a foothold close to the Skewen line and lineout expert Darren Gibbs capped a fine display by orchestrating a front peel from a Paul Miller throw and skipper Rich Wanklyn grounded in the corner. Although the Quins strove hard to gain the fourth bonus point try it was Skewen who were pressing at the final whistle. The Quins coaching team were well satisfied with the result and look forward to their Swalec cup match at Ystalafera on November 15th.
Photo by Vance Broad http://www.sailgower.com

Sat 25th Oct (Home) SWALEC Cup
Aberavon Harlequins 5 Abergavenny 3

The Quins gained a place in the WRU SWALEC cup third round by a closely fought encounter at Harlequin Road.  The home side moved smartly into top gear at the start and a half break by  centre Neil Pugsley set up an attack and a long flat pass by fly half Ashley Davies caught the visitors defence flat footed and strong running left winger Adam Dawe finished in great style to touch down in the corner.

It was left to the forwards to slug it out for the remainder of the game with Abergavenny, despite taking the lines out by a large margin and having the occasional nudge on in the scrums failed to break down the resolute home defence. Locks Karl Davies and Darren Nicholas were always well to the fore while the back row of Craig Cox, Dan Owen and Richard Wanklyn buzzed about the field eagerly grounding opponents. The recent signing of Adam Dawe has proved to be an astute move and his strong, no frills, straight running style always gained his team vital yards. Long serving right winger Jamie Lean was always eager to take on the eastern valley defence and underlined what a valued servant he is to the Quins. Star performer for the visitors was scrum half Cornock who did well to quell any back row moves by the Quins. No 8 Dan Owen and scrumhalf James Peplow-Williams however stood up well under pressure and worked hard especially in defending. The Quins defenders were always able to hold off any attacks by the division two side and the only reward for the visitors was a Steve Lang penalty shot just before half time.

As both sides struggled to gain an advantage in the second half some ugly exchanges occurred which were dealt with in masterful style by classy ref Mr Huw Lewis.

Some sporadic attacks by Abergavenny particularly from full back Nowers stretched the Quins occasionally but Dawe proved his all round ability with some thunderous tackling and it was no surprise when he was selected as sponsor’s man of the match. Full back Gareth Pugh and Ash Davies kicked astutely to keep their side on the front foot and when Lloyd Hayden and Paul Miller replaced the hard working Neil Crocket and excellent James Davies in the last quarter the Quins controlled the closing minutes. Steve Lang tried to break the shackles for the visitors but the combined effort of home centres, Pugsley and James Owen comfortably dealt with any threat.    
Photo by Vance Broad http://www.sailgower.com

Sat 18th Oct (Away)
Aberavon Harlequins 26 Maesteg Quins 9