A sixth Championship victory in completing a double over Tata Steel with a 19-7 win at Ddol Wyber enabled Newcastle Emlyn to take a giant step towards safety in their first season in the WRU Championship.

The welcome success took the Red and Whites eight points clear of the drop zone and also put Alex Williams and team-mates in the right frame of mind for the visit of Premiership big guns Ebbw Vale in the Swalec Cup this Saturday.

Driving rain made conditions extremely difficult and not conducive to attractive rugby and for most of the contest it was a forward battle.

The Teifisiders went into a nine point lead in the opening quarter thanks to three spot on penalties by right-winger Daniel Davies.

Steel stayed in contention as a heavier pack of forwards forced their opponents to give ground and concede a penalty try converted by outside half Steve Lewis.

As half time approached Tata decided to open up inside their own territory but a wayward pass led to Emlyn centre Mitchell Jones kicking on and getting the touchdown for Daniel Davies to convert and give his side a 16-7 lead at the oranges.

Home prop Dai Jones and Tata replacement front-rower Mathew Llewellyn were sin-binned during the second period and when the latter was ruled out of the action the scrums had to be uncontested which was an advantage to the Teifisiders.

In the final quarter Daniel Davies landed a penalty to put the Red and Whites out of sight and relieve their relegation fears.

Cardigan kept alive their hopes of lifting the League 3 West A title and the one promotion slot up for grabs with a 34-14 win over Pembroke Dock Quins at King George V Playing Field.

Dock coach and former playing legend Ossie Boswells’s emphasis on youth appeared to be successful with the likes of outside half Ben Hathaway and Henry Owen shining through.

But it was Cardigan who dominated the opening 40 minutes as the homesters led 17-0 through ties by centre Rhydian Jenkins, hooker Aled Phillips and left-winger Dafydd Watkins with Iestyn Crompton landing one conversion.

After the break the visitors got on the scoresheet when winger John Turner set up Hathaway for a try he duly converted but influential No. 8 Colin Davies went in for a sixth home try before Henry Owen got a final score for the visitors converted by Hathaway.