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CARMARTHEN Quins’ driving line-out came to their rescue once again as they climbed to second in the Premiership.
The Wizards got off to a flying start with tries from hooker Josh Clark and centre Chay Smith, one of which James Garland converted. That made it 12-0 in as many minutes and the battle of third v fourth looked to be going the way of the home side.
“It was a massive win for us because Aberavon is a tough place to go,” said Quins head coach Emyr Phillips.
Haydn Pugh’s Quins recovered so well they had pocketed a bonus point by the break.
They hit back with a try wide out on the left by flanker Lewys Millin, superbly converted by the left boot of Steff Marshall, and then came the power plays.
A 20-metre surge set up the platform in the home 22 from which Marshall dinked the ball through to the posts for Josh Batcup to dive to claim the try.
The conversion put the Quins in front, but two minutes later Garland pegged them back with a penalty.
Back came the Quins juggernaut and two tries in the space of two minutes turned the game on its head.
The first was a double whammy for the home side as they conceded a penalty try for pulling down a driving maul and lost No. 8 Ashton Evans into the bargain.
Next over the line was hooker Torin Myhill from yet another line-out drive, and Marshall’s conversion made it 28-15 at the break.
The lead rose to 16 points with a Marshall penalty four minutes after the restart, but the Wizards weren’t about to roll over.
Evans picked up at the base of a scrum and sent Garland on a clear run to the posts for a try that he also converted. Scrumhalf Reuben Morgan-Williams then pounced from close range and a conversion cut the gap to two points.
For 10 of those minutes the Quins were without lock Jac Price, who saw yellow for a high tackle, but a final Marshall penalty sealed the deal for the visitors.
ABERAVON: J Clark, C Smith. J Garland, R Morgan-Williams. Cons: J Garland (3). Pen: J Garland.
CARMARTHEN QUINS: Tries: L Millin, J Batcup, pen try, T Myhill. Cons: S Marshall (4). Pen: S Marshall.