The last game of the regular SRC season saw Llandovery fall to an agonising defeat against Bridgend, writes Huw S Thomas.

A last-gasp try from replacement hooker Corey Lewis and a last kick of the game conversion by another replacement in fly-half Luke Price saw the Drovers let slip a 33-24 lead going into the final minutes.

With just two points from the game, they finish in fourth position in the SRC table and now entertain fifth place Pontypool in the play-off quarter-finals on May 3.

Before then, on April 26, Bridgend, Carmarthen Quins, RGC and Swansea will be involved in the so-called “wild card” round which will determine which two of the four will join Cardiff, Ebbw Vale, Newport, Llandovery, Pontypool and Aberavon in the last eight.

Llandovery had already enjoyed two victories over the Ravens this season - 28-12 in the league and 50-35 in the cup – but devoid of key players, they lacked their usual gusto up front and fluency behind the scrum.

They also missed the all-round excellence of back rowers Osian Davies and Joe Powell, who have been their best forwards of the season.

The decision to rest a half dozen of front line players and give more game time to younger members of the squad looked to have been successful, but ill-discipline in the dying minutes of the game gave the Ravens the chance to snatch the game out if the fire.

“A disappointing night,” sighed Drovers coach Euros Evans. “But the result had no bearing on where we would finish in then league, so we could offer some of our up and coming players valuable SRC experience.

“We now focus on Pontypool before even thinking about being league champions again”

“Our discipline and defence need more attention and we have a fortnight to get things right before the quarter-final.”

The Drovers continue to score plenty of tries but are conceding too many, scoring five against Bridgend but conceding five.

Three of Bridgend’s tries were from driving mauls, symptomatic of a fragility to defend the goal line at close-range line-outs.

A comparison with last year throws up the fact that at the end of the SRC regular season, Llandovery have let in 64 tries in just 18 games, whereas last season they conceded just 51 in 24 Premiership games.

Despite the presence of five Scarlets and the running threat of full-back Jac Davies and wing Tomi Lewis, the Drovers were a shadow of the side that had beaten Cardiff 48-43, but they are still just three games way from back-to-back league titles.

Davies and Lewis made some brilliant runs, one from Davies quite breathtaking to fashion a try for Lewis who also combined beautifully with centre Rhodri Jones for one of his own.

The young half-back pairing of George MacDonald and Sam Potter did well enough in the place of Lee Rees and Ioan Hughes with MacDonald grabbing a pair of tries as reward for grand support and positioning.

Hooker Harry Thomas and back rowers Stuart Worrall and Evan Sheldon tried hard up front but the Ravens looked the hungrier on the night with flanker Alfie Llewellyn - brother of Max- outshining everyone in the loose.

On this form, they could be a surprise packet in the play-offs.

Llandovery were a shade fortunate to go into half-time 14-12 up, two converted tries from Thomas and MacDonald trumping efforts from No 8 Tom Jevons and wing Cameron Ellis plus a conversion by fly-half Ben Burnell

Tries from centre Ryan Wilkins and hooker Evan Yardley bettered another MacDonald score before Llandovery produced their best rugby of the night with a brace of dashing Lewis tries in which Davies and Jones were prominent.

It took them to 33-24 and seemingly on their way to victory, but Bridgend’s extra grit and commitment soon changed the course of events.

Profiting from more ill discipline, Price kicked a penalty and with Llandovery continuing to give away even more penalties, a close range line-out and surge worked in Lewis, Price coolly administering the killer blow.

Tries: T Jevons, C Ellis, R Wilkins, E Yardley, C Lewis

Cons: L Price (2), B Burnell

Pen:L Price

Tries: G MacDonald (2), T Lewis (2), H Thomas,

Cons:S Potter (3), I Hughes

Bridgend: E Howley; J Thomas, M Rowley, R Wilkins,C Ellis; B Burnell, C Williams; H Olding, E Yardley, M Iorwerth-Scott, J Owen, D Burrows, A Llewelyn, T Jevons, Z O’Driscoll (capt)

Replacements: C Lewis, A George, L Tobias, D Bartlett, I Pascoe, H Nash, C Nott, L Price

Llandovery:J Davies;T Lewis, I Phillips, R Jones, L Morgan; S Potter,G MacDonald ; D Dallavalle, H Thomas, B Watkins, M Jones, E Scragg, J Evans, N Hart (capt), S Worrall

Replacements:, T Davies, T Phillips, B Williams, H Holden, E Sheldon, H Doel, I Hughes, L Rees

Wild card play-offs - April 26

1) Bridgend v Swansea

2) RGC v Carmarthen Quins

Quarter-finals - May 3

1) Cardiff v Bridgend or Swansea

2) Llandovery v Pontypool

3) Ebbw Vale v RGC or Carmarthen Quins

4) Newport v Aberavon

Semi-finals - May 10

Winners of QF 1 v Winners of QF 4, Winners of QF 2 v Winners of QF 3

Sides with highest regular season placing have home advantage at the semi-final and final stage

Final - May 17

Winners SF 1 v Winners SF 2