Match reports from games played this weekend involving the clubs of North and Mid Wales.
If you have a match report which you would be happy to share, please email it to gwcymru1@aol.com and it will be included with pleasure
Nant Conwy 29 v Mold 11
Following match report kindly supplied by Nant Conwy RFC.
Nant yn Ychwanegu ei Harweiniad o’r Gyngradd
Ar brynhawn gwlyb a gwyntog, ychwanegodd Nant at ei harweiniad o’r gyngrair gyda buddugoliaeth dros Yr Wyddgrug o naw pwynt ar hugain yn erbyn unarddeg.
Gyda’r elfennau ar ei gwaethaf a Nant yn dangos ei bwriad i ymosod yn ddiffwdan, o fewn pedwar munud a hanner, fe groesodd y pac dros y llinell gais, gyda Carwyn Ellis yn rhoi’r tîm cartref ar y blaen o bump pwynt i ddim.
Yna, yn dilyn cam sefyll gan Nant, fe lwyddodd Stephen Quinlan i gicio cic gosb i’r Wyddgrug wedi un munud ar bymtheg i wneud y sgôr yn bump pwynt i dri.
Cyfnod o ymosod ac amddiffyn wedyn gyda’r ddau dîm yn dangos ei bwriad i chwarae rygbi da, er gwaethaf yr elfennau, ac wedi troi yr hanner awr, gyda Nant yn ymosod, fe giciodd Delwyn Jones gic perffaith ar draws y cae i Gwion Ellis-Jones redeg fel milgi i groesi dros y llinell gais yn y gornel. Dilwyn Jones yn llwyddo gyda’r trosiad i roi Nant ar y blaen ar yr egwyl o ddeuddeg pwynt i dri.
Gyda dim ysbaid yr yr elfennau ar ddechrau’r ail hanner, yr Wyddgrug a sgoriodd gyntaf gyda cais da ar yr asgell dde gan Ryan Kirby. Dilynwyd hyn, ychydig o funudau wedyn, gyda cic gosb llwyddianus i ddod ar ymwelwyr o fewn un pwynt.
Unwaith eto fe ddangosodd y tîm cartref ei hysbrydoliaeth gyda nifer o ymosodiadau nerthol yn chwarter diwethaf y cae, ac o fewn deuddeg munud ar hugain fe gosbwyd yr ymwelwyr am gam sefyll a Delwyn Jones unwaith eto yn ychwanegu tuag at sgôr Nant.
Gyda pac Nant yn pwyso’n anrhugaredd yn chwarter diwethaf y cae, fe lwyddodd Carwyn Ellis i sgorio ei ail gais am y prynhawn a Delwyn Jones yn llwyddo gyda’r trosiad. Yna yn munudau olaf y gêm, rhoddodd y Dyfarnwr gais cosb i Nant yn dilyn nifer o droseddau gan bac yr ymwelwyr.
Sgorwyr Nant Conwy.
Carwyn Ellis – dau gais , Gwion Ellis Jones – un cais, Cais Cosb
Delwyn Jones – tri trosiad ac un cic gosb.
Sgorwyr Yr Wyddgrug
Ryan Kirby – un cais
Stephen Quinlan – dwy gic gosb.
Nant Extend Their Lead At The Top Of Division One
In appalling weather conditions, Nant Conwy extended their lead at the top of Division One North with a comprehensive win over Mold, beating the visitors by twenty nine points to eleven.
From the start, the home side showed their determination to do business in this match by immediately going on the offensive and scoring a fine push over try within four and a half minutes. Putting the home side ahead by five points. Thirteen minutes into the game, the home side were adjudged to have been off side and Stephen Quinlan slotted over the resulting penalty to give the visitors their first points.
Following a period of cut and thrust, with both sides, to their credit, showing their positivity despite the elements, Delwyn Jones, the Nant Fly Half, kicked a beautifully weighted cross field kick, for winger Gwion Ellis-Jones to score a superb try in the right hand corner. Delwyn Jones adding to the score by a successful conversion, putting the home side in the lead by twelve points to three at Half Time.
With no let up in the wet and windy conditions, it was Mold who scored first in the second half when Ryan Kirby scored a fine try on the right wing. They added to their lead a few minutes later with a successful penalty kick which brought their score within one point of the home side.
Yet again, the Nant team showed good spirit and determination, being relentless in pinning Mold down in the last quarter of the pitch. A penalty for offside extended their score. With the Nant pack ruthless in their scrummaging, Carwyn Ellis scored his second try of the match with a push over try.
With seconds to go and following repeated infringements by the visitors’ pack, the home side were awarded a penalty try which was easily converted.
Nant Conwy Scorers
Carwyn Ellis – two tries, Gwion Ellis-Jones – one try, Penalty Try
Delwyn Jones – three conversions and one penalty
Mold Scorers
Ryan Kirby – one try
Stephen Quinlan – two penalties.
John Parry
Caernarfon 7 v Bala 13
Following report kindly supplied by Caernarfon RFC.
Bala, having scored an early try, were far more astute and controlled for the remainder of the game and consequently fully deserved their victory. All who took to the field held no regard for personal safety and gave of their all whilst playing a brand of rugby that defied the conditions, especially during the second half.
Bala with the strong wind at their back probed constantly during the opening minutes, recycling well and forcing the Cofis to defend in numbers. Although the initial thrusts were thwarted a blind side release found standoff Rhydian Jones in enough space to beat the cover to record the opening five pointer that he also duly converted.
Caernarfon responded well, keeping the ball in hand and driving cohesively to gain considerable yardage. The Cofi scrum was dominant at the time and together with good lineout possession it was Bala who were forced to defend stoutly.
The Cofis crossed the whitewash but failed to ground successfully and when their one shot at goal rebounded off the uprights Bala grew in confidence with the tactic of keeping the tackled player from going to ground gaining a number of valuable turnovers to enable them to clear their lines. Indeed Bala could well have extended their lead prior to the halftime whistle had two attempted penalties found the target.
The Cofis were expected to make use of the elements from the restart but complacency saw them being pegged in their own half with two charge downs and gathers in quick succession from prop Moi Dafydd nearly putting the score beyond doubt.
The expected changes in personnel on the hour mark brought the game to light with the introduction of Lance Owen at fullback instrumental in changing Cofi fortunes. Better adjudged clearance kicks from strong tackling centre Carwyn Roberts began to give Caernarfon a foothold in Bala territory and when yet another quick tap and go appeared to be devoid of the required support, up stepped Lance Owen to collect the offload at lightning pace to beat all would be tacklers from fully thirty yards to score a memorable try close to the posts. Standoff Aled Jones added the extras thus bringing the Cofis back to within three points with all to play for during the final twenty minutes.
To the frustration of the Cofi following the astuteness of late was not as evident, as Bala with both flankers, Ilan Rowlands and Clwyd Edwards making the usual complete nuisance of themselves by harassing constantly and thus forcing turnovers that starved Caernarfon of desperately needed ball.
With ten minutes to play strong running centre Owain Aled set up a spell of Bala pressure that saw them use a classic lineout drive to score the incisive try courtesy of second row Guto Lynch.
Caernarfon tried in vain to outfox the opposition for the final ten minutes but were only afforded one half chance that was well thwarted by the backtracking rearguard. Therefore the midpoint of the season arrives with the Cofis having had more success on the road than on the Morfa, a statistic, that if addressed should ensure an enjoyable second half to the season.
Dolgellau 15 v Abergele 25
Following match report kindly supplied by Dolgellau RFC.
Both these sides should be given due credit for an enthralling contest in difficult, blustery and wet conditions, as should the Marian ground staff for the preparation and excellent condition of the pitch. The visitors deservedly claimed the spoils, coming from 15-6 down to win.
Abergele kicked off into the strong wind and managed to steal a penalty after only 3 minutes play to centre Ben Jones. Dolgellau hit back immediately. Following a line out 5m out their forwards surged over with flanker,and stalwart, Berwyn Hughes claiming his second try of the season to make it 5-3.
Abergele were then thwarted by some tremendous defending by the home team, and after fifteen minutes it was Dolgellau's turn to pressure and deservedly extended their lead with hooker, Geraint Evans scoring in typical fashion with a push over effort for his fourth try of the season. This time, skipper, Gerwyn Thomas converted magnificently from wide out to make the score 12-3.
Dolgellau's indicipline cost them dearly, and Abergele responded with a penalty to centre , Jones, following an alledged high tackle, but on thirty minutes, Thomas restored Dolgellau's advantage with a penalty, when the visitors were caught off-side at a ruck. Dolgellau's Rhys Roberts and skipper Gerwyn Thomas came close to breaching the visiting defence, but on the stroke of half time Abergele scored, with the inspirational hooker, Josh Woods carving an opening to stand off Chris Edwards to go over, and make it 15-11 at the interval.
One sensed that Dolgellau's narrow lead would not be enough aganist the elements in the 2nd period. Having two yellow cards did not help their cause, and ten minues in, Abergele went ahead for the first time in the match. From a 5m scrum, full-back, Jack Hughes burst through the narrowest of gaps in the home cover to score the try. Ben Jones added the conversion to put Gele 15-18 ahead.
The home support urged their side on, and despite centre,Dylan Evans setting up brother and hooker Geraint, he was held up on the line with some desperate defending by the visitors. This was the turning point, and Gele commanded the latter stages, and on 25 minutes dealt Dolgellau a cruel blow, as stand-off Chris Edwards intercepted a Dolgellau move out of defence, to sprint home down the left touchline. Jones added the conversion from an acute angle to make it 15-25.
Gele's defence then strangled all Dolgellau attacks in and around the middle of the park from there on in to claim a memorable and deserved victory.
Bethesda 21 v Ruthin 12
Following report kindly supplied by Ruthin RFC.
On a wet and blustery afternoon playing conditions were difficult on a very soft pitch but both sides provided an exciting 80 minutes play.
Pesda started well with their strong pack driving down field and fast running backs testing Ruthin’s defence from the outset. The pressure told and within 5 minutes centre Llion Lloyd was over the Blues try line for an unconverted try.
Ruthin came straight back with full back Mike Evans making ground to put prop Tom Crawford through for a try under the posts and an easy conversion for 2nd row Deian Lloyd Williams.
The home sides forwards then led the attack into Ruthin’s 22 and although the visitors defended well Pesda’s pack were too strong for them and they went over for pushover try by No 8 Rhys Williams.
The home side continued their occupation of Ruthin’s 22 and the Blues did well not to concede more than a penalty goal by fly half Matthew Parry.
At 7-13 down Ruthin were back in Bethesda’s territory, missed a speculative penalty goal attempt and after a kick up field Ruthin had a lineout in their own 10 yard line which they lost and after the ball went loose Parry nipped over for Bethesda’s 3rd try to make the score 18-7 just before half time.
Ruthin had a much better second half and immediately after the break got themselves back in the game with try by wing Huw Parry.
We then had 10 minutes of torrential driving rain during which the players could do little more than kick the ball up and down the field. Once the rain eased off both ground and ball were even more slippery. Bethesda were awarded successive penalties in Ruthin’s half and full back Gethin Long put the 2nd over.
Although Ruthin piled into the home side’s 22 towards the end of the game Bethesda’s defence held and the whistle blew with the score 21-12 to Bethesda.
Denbigh 5 v Colwyn Bay 13
Following report kindly supplied by Denbigh RFC.
In a highly competitive match played in atrocious ground and weather conditions Colwyn Bay edged the verdict to maintain their unbeaten record. The bulkier Bay pack obtained the lion’s share of set piece possession which was not surprising with Dinbych having to make six changes up front compared with their victory at Llanidloes the previous week.
The hosts more than made up for this with a tremendous defensive display around the fringes often causing the visitors to lose ground and together with their better kicking game had more of the territorial play .
The Bay soon used their pack to good effect in the early stages with No. 8 Liam Allsup Jones and scrum half Rodrigo Doitzua doing well to recue the ball at retreating scrums for Dinbych.
Despite dominating possession the Bay were finding it difficult to penetrate an impregnable Dinbych defence and it was the hosts who were nearest to scoring following a short period of intense pressure near the visitors line.
It was the Bay however who opened the scoring in the twenty first minute when centre Pat Atkinson kicked a straight penalty from thirty eight metres and followed this three minutes later with a similar score from slightly shorter distance. The remainder of the half saw both sides battling to keep possession on an increasingly waterlogged pitch due to the incessant rain.
Leading by six points at the interval the Bay increased their lead early in the second half when Pat Atkinson took advantage of a rare lapse in Dinbych’s defensive effort when he broke through several attempted tackles on a powerful run from inside his own half and with good support from the forwards No 8 Ben Evans forced his way over for the first try of the match. Atkinson converted with an excellent kick from wide out.
Dinbych however were far from throwing the towel in and increasingly had the better of the territorial game thanks to astute tactical kicking by outside half Llion Edwards gaining ground by long touch finders or by kicking for his wings to pressurise the Bay defence. After several of these kicks to right wing Aidyn Jones had almost brought success Dinbych did eventually gain reward for their efforts.
Full back George Owen who had previously shown his skill in fielding the high ball this time claimed possession of a relieving kick with a sliding catch near half way. Aidyn Jones won possession at the resulting breakdown which allowed Rodrigo Doitzua to break clear of a desperate Bay cover defence to score a fine solo try which went unconverted.
This was an excellent effort by Dinbych considering the much changed nature of the pack against a well organised Bay outfit and it would have been interesting to have seen how a dangerous looking back division would have performed in better conditions.
As it was both teams deserved a credit for doing so well in the difficult conditions in providing such a competitive encounter.
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