THERE were no gifts for Newcastle Emlyn this side of Christmas as Narberth notched a 32-13 bonus point win over the visitors to ensure their captain Alex Jenkins marked his 250th game for the club in style.

After a second half revival Emlyn’s cause was plagued by a late red card to replacement Hayden Baldwin and dashed any hopes of a late comeback.

Jenkins was given a warm reception pre-kick off and there was also a minute’s silence for Roger Price, once a pivotal player for The Otters, after he died last week aged 65.

It was Emlyn who were quickest out the blocks though and after a sustained spell of pressure in the Narberth 22, full back Shaun Leonard kicked them in front with a penalty.

But The Otters soon took control and twice Jenkins turned down three points as No 10 Jonathan Rogers kicked to the corner– and the second time it paid dividends with No 8 Steffan Phillips touching down from a lineout drive.Nic k Gale converted brilliantly from wide.

The pressure continued as some deft hands from Phillips in midfield sent Tom Powell on a charging run down the right wing, but Sean Gale’s side blew a golden chance to go further ahead when Parker failed to hold Gale’s pass with the try line begging.

The latter soon added three points though with a 40 metre penalty and as the penalty count mounted for the visitors, the winger made it 13-3 with a simpler effort.

And then just before half time came a decisive score. After Leonard was caught isolated and pinged for holding in his own 22 Rogers again went for the corner. The Emlyn pack held out but an off-the-ball melée resulted in yellow cards for home centre Jack Price and Emlyn second row Bleddyn Davies.

Three successive Narberth scrums followed, the second of which resulted in a yellow for Emlyn prop Ifan James, and inevitably the pressure told as Phillips went blind and set up Lane to dive over.

Again, the touchline conversion proved no problem for Gale.

But in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, the contest stagnated somewhat as Emlyn managed to shore up at the set piece while flanker Jon Hill was instrumental at slowing down, and twice stealing, Narberth ball at the breakdown.

Leonard landed another penalty to reduce the deficit to 14 points but on the hour mark, Narberth struck again.

And they did so with the best moment of the match as Rogers’ miss pass instigated a run around move in midfield that culminated in Parker finishing clinically in the corner.

For once Gale was off target with the conversion but as The Otters chased a bonus point try, their cause was helped by a red card to Emlyn replacement Baldwin as he carelessly threw punches while grounded in a ruck right in front of referee John Darcy. The official had no hesitation in showing a red card.

And yet it was Emlyn who struck next as centre Carwyn Evans, playing on permit from Aberystwyth, weaved his way over 15 metres. Leonard converted and suddenly at 25-12, Emlyn sensed a glimmer of hope.

But it was short lived as The Otters soon sealed the fourth try they craved, hammering away at the Emlyn line before hooker Rhodri Owens finally broke Emlyn’s resistance with a powerful burst to the posts for Gale to convert.