A last kick of the match penalty by replacement full back Jack Maynard robbed a combative Swansea side of a deserved draw, writes Huw S Thomas.

The Drovers followed up their fine performance at Newport with another bonus point win but they were taken all the way by Jonathan Thomas’s men.

The All Whites, newly coached by the former 67 times capped Wales back row, made a determined effort to get their first away win at Llandovery since August 2010, but were finally beaten by Maynard’s angled injury time penalty.

Llandovery move into second place in the table on 10 points, two behind leaders Ebbw Vale who won 34-17 at Bridgend.

Swansea’s firm challenge to the SRC cup holders, Aberavon’s defeat of champions Newport and Carmarthen Quins’s terrific win at Cardiff – top of the regular table last year - suggests that those sides that finished in the bottom half of the SRC table will be more competitive this season.

The match looked certain to be heading for a draw when Swansea were awarded a penalty near their posts with the clock in the red but the intervention of a touch judge resulted in referee Ben Whitehouse reversing his decision.

Not only that but he awarded Llandovery a penalty after replacement scrum half Iwan Temblett had been spotted kicking the ball back into the scrum.

Maynard – taking over from Kian Abraham on 28 minutes – and the scorer of 1,759 points for the club, has often be a match winner for the Drovers and again came up trumps from a wide angle.

It was cruel luck on the visitors who kept yapping on the tails of Llandovery throughout a display that promises a good season ahead.

Every one of Llandovery’s four tries were soon answered by one from the All Whites, and the only difference between the two sides at the end of a free flowing game was Maynard’s crucial intervention.

The home backs found it difficult to make headway - the dangerous pairing of centres Adam Warren and Corey Baldwin kept firmly in check by Joe Thomas and Callum Carson - and Llandovery had to rely heavily on their forwards - under lock Joe Powell - to create three of their four tries from close range line-outs.

Llandovery coach Euros Evans, a former Swansea player, started with four very young forwards, including teenagers in No 8 Dom Kossuth and lock Dylan Alford, testament to the club’s policy of introducing nascent talent to the rigours of the SRC.

They found it hard going against a well-drilled pack in which hooker Jamie Cox, locks Matt Dodd and Chris Thompson and flanker Callum Bowden were prominent throughout and there was much relief in the home side for getting as much as five points out of the game.

The bad news for the club was the nasty first-half elbow injury to their indefatigable flanker Stuart Worrall which threatens to keep him out of the game for some time.

When hooker Finn Thomas opened the scoring from a close range line-out surge with no more than three minutes on the clock, home supporters were rubbing their hands in expectation of a runaway win.

They soon realised that Swansea were no pushovers when ex-Drover hooker Cox levelled the scores, again from a line-out.

A Maynard penalty made it 10-7 before a long run from home scrum half George Macdonald and yellow card for Swansea centre Callum Carson ended with a close range converted try for Kossuth.

17-7 at half time soon became 17-14 after lock Chris Thompson went through but wing Aaron Warren got a try after his forwards had pounded the line.

Back came Swansea with a fine counter attacking try for their excellent fly half and captain Josh Phillips, soon answered by a battering score from replacement lock Chris Long.

The visitors then scored the best of the total eight match tries when full back Lewis Edwards made a thrilling run through flimsy tackling to send replacement wing Ieuan Cornelius haring in for a converted try.

A Phillips penalty, two minutes from normal time, looked to have secured a 31-31 draw, only for Maynard to dash Swansea hopes at the death.

The Drovers face a difficult task on Saturday when they make the long journey to Colwyn Bay to take on a RGC side, who won 23-14 at Pontypool.

Llandovery

Tries: F Thomas, D Kossuth, Aaron Warren, C Long

Cons: J Maynard (3), I Hughes

Pens: J Maynard (2)

Swansea

Tries: J Cox, C Thompson, J Phillips, I Cornelius

Cons: J Phillips (4)

Pen: J Phillips

Llandovery: K Abraham (J Maynard 28): L Morgan, C Baldwin, Adam Warren (R Jones 78), Aaron Warren; I Hughes, G MacDonald (L Rees 64), J Hughes (T Phillips 64), F Thomas (C Lewis 56), B Watkins (T Pritchard 56), D Alford, J Powell (capt), D Gemine, D Kossuth (C Long 47), S Worrall (O Davies 38)

Swansea: L Edwards; I Glynn (I Cornelius 71), C Carson, J Thomas B Wood (T Rees 80); J Phillips (capt), M Aubrey (I Temblett71); D Davies (T Crockett 71), J Cox (R King 60), K Hire (E Thompson 47), M Dodd, C Thompson, C Bowden, J Hopkins (J Roberts 60), E Frackrell