Following report kindly supplied by Dolgellau RFC and picture by Gareth Roberts.
Both Dolgellau and 2nd placed Wrexham close the gap on Cobra at the top of division 2, and the race for the championship and promotion is very much on for all three sides. Dolgellau did all they could here in gaining a bonus point victory against an uncompromising, committed and often ill-disciplined Llanidloes side.
Dolgellau got off to the perfect start. With barely a minute played, the visitors ran from deep and centre, Gareth Hughes’ perfectly timed pass saw full back Ellis Smith slice through the heart of the home defence and sprint clear straight down the middle of the park to score under the posts. Wing Jake Hinge converted to put Dolgellau 0-7 ahead.
Llanidloes discipline around the rucks, mauls and set pieces, cost them dear, and Dolgellau had them pinned in their own 22 for most of the half. However there were only two minutes of the half remaining when Dolgellau scrum half, Lewis Jones, darted down the blind side from a 5 metre scrum, and forced his way over for the score. 0-12 at then interval.
Nine minutes into the second period, another penalty was taken quickly and the visiting threequarters stretched the opposition leaving wing Jake Hinge to score wide out on the left corner flag. 0-17 and Dolgellau looking good. However Llani scrum half Paul Jehu, caught them napping with a quickly taken penalty along the right touchline to score a fine individual try, to narrow the gap to 5-17 fifteen minutes into the half.
But it was Dolgellau who finished strongly, as the home discipline imploded. Replacement stand-off Dafydd Roberts using the advantage law to the full, and with the assistance of Gareth Hughes put in flanker, Dewi Thomas for the try. Hinge added the conversion to make it 5-24.
Llani were reduced to 14 with five minutes remaining, and Dolgellau took full advantage, prop Greg Smithies and Gareth Hughes, again, putting in replacement, Henri Roberts in at the right corner for their 5th and final try and seal victory.
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