RUGBY followers in the Newcastle Emlyn area are accustomed to seeing fullback Shaun Leonard give his skills an airing at fullback with the Swalec Championship side but few could have envisaged the 24-year-old turning on the style at the oval ball code and taking a local village club to a cup final.

But that’s exactly what the talented all-round sportsman did under the North Road lights in Lampeter when turning out for Bargod Rangers of Drefach Felindre against arch-rivals Newcastle Emlyn in a semi-final of the Costcutter League Cup.

With a crop of regulars unavailable for midweek games due to work and other commitments the Division One leaders drafted in players including Leonard.

And the Emlyn rugby stalwart was the difference between the teams as he hit a brilliant hat-trick in a 3-1 win for the Parc Puw high-flyers who now go on to the final and a clash with Crannog at Aberaeron on Easter Monday.

A very heavy strip made life difficult for the rivals but they adapted and provided an exciting spectacle for a sizeable crowd.

Bargod took the lead after 12 minutes when classy former Cardiff City Academy member Dion Phillips had a stab at the target parried and the following up Leonard tapped home.

The Rangers advantage was doubled within four minutes when Leonard was again in exactly the right spot to find the net but Emlyn halved the deficit before the break when Rangers stand-in goalkeeper Joe Turner failed to hold the ball and Dion Davies was on target.

Ten minutes after the break and that man Leonard broke Emlyn hearts when leaving two would-be tacklers in his wake and rounding the goalkeeper for a superb solo effort to complete his hat-trick.

After his heroics up front Leonard was switched to defence for the final quarter and he struck up a solid partnership with central defender Tom Evans to keep Emlyn at bay.