Llani hang on for derby win.

Newtown 17 Llanidloes 20

Llanidloes chairman Huw Jenkins summed up the match, saying: “Games are always tight between ourselves and Newtown, who as well as being our closest derby rivals they are also our great friends.

“It was a great game of rugby which was watched by a large crowd which enjoyed the contest between the sides,” said Jenkins. “We now look forward to our next match at home to Rhyl.”

Llanidloes seemed home and dry after a superb first-half display yielded a 20 point advantage at the interval, which left Newtown fans fearing a derby thrashing.

Scrum half Ioan Jones and replacement full-back Sam Brittain scored the tries, with the reliable foot of fly-half Dan Short adding both conversions and two penalties.

Coach Derek Murray galvanised his troops during the interval, with the home side emerging with renewed confidence as they clawed their way back into the game.

No8 Paul Morgan epitomised the spirit in the Newtown camp with an excellent second-half display, which saw him rewarded with a brace of tries, while full-back Nathan Lloyd also crossed for a try which he converted.

Newtown continued to press during the final stages, with Llanidloes forced to defend in numbers to ensure their first-half lead remained just in tact.

“Unfortunately we left ourselves with simply too much to do in the end but full credit to the boys for their display in the second-half,” said Murray.

“They knew they were a better team than the half-time score suggested and underlined this with a much improved second-half display.”

NEWTOWN: G Lloyd, Richards, Paget, Price, Andrew, Owen, Marriott, Morgan, J Harris, Murray, Walters, S Harris, Jenkins, Dean, N Lloyd. Reps - Land, D Evans, Thomas, Heywood

LLANIDLOES: Jarman, Jenkins, Hamer, Anwyl, Vaughan, D Jones, R Jones, Mills, I Jones, Short, Owen, Jehu, S Jones, J Davies, Price. Reps - Brittain, Taylor