A round up of reports from games involving the clubs of North and Mid Wales.
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Pontypridd 18 v RGC 37
Following report kindly supplied by RGC News.
RGC claimed a 4th place finish to set up a play-off clash against Merthyr next week.
Head Coach Mark Jones witnessed his side weather a 2nd half attacking onslaught from Pontypridd and come away with the win “I think we added to our own problems at times, and we had the momentum towards the end of the 1st half, but didn’t push on after half time. We changed a few things tactically and credit to the players as we took it on board and finished the game strongly. We have worked on speed, skills and conditioning all season and when we get the chance break we look to take it. Since the Ebbw Vale game we have said every match would be a cup final, as if we lost any of the games then our season would be over, so it is the same next week. We have had 3 intense matches against Merthyr and results could have gone either way, and next week won’t be any different”.
The boot of Jacob Botica opened the scoring with a penalty, and he went for another kick from halfway but it dropped short.
It was Pontypridd that used the ball better but the first real chance went to the Gog’s when Rhys Williams raced clear and offloaded to Tim Grey, but he was tackled and knocked on with the line begging.
RGC brought some problems on themselves when the ball wasn’t going to hand, and Pontypridd were allowed to put pressure on the RGC line. The home side levelled with a Callum Hall penalty
Both sides were looking for that killer break and when it arrived RGC took it; Worthington made the run with Leach in support before Tome Hughes finished with the try.
Pontypridd Full-back Gary Williams was using the boot well to try and get behind the RGC line, and both Bagshaw and Carwyn Ap Myrddin were having to deal with some high balls.
There was some end to end rugby after a miss pass led to a Carwyn Ap Myrddin knock on and Ponty scrum, but RGC reclaimed possession and Botica raced 50 yards down the pitch.
Botica extended the lead with another penalty on the 30 minute mark
RGC again were masters of their own problems when the missed another lineout and Ponty took full advantage to cross over the line, but the TMO didn’t give the score. They did win a penalty and Hall nailed it.
Try number 2 for RGC arrived after the centre combination broke with Hughes setting up Loots.
RCG were showing some good attacking intent and it times Pontypridd were struggling to contain them.
The opening 15 minutes of the 2nd half was all Pontypridd and the visitors kept on putting the pressure on the RGC defence.
It was no surprise when winger Dale Stuckey went over in the corner, after a well worked move. Hall covered.
Minutes later the fly-half missed a penalty, but it was all Ponty with the crowd driving them on as well.
Stuckey went close again after a kick and chance ended up in touch, but RGC nerves were clearly happening on and off the pitch.
Phil John and Mei Parry came off the bench for the Gog’s as they looked to get some advantage back at the scrum and breakdown.
A few knock ons and another missed line out added to the RGC pressure. The visitors won a crucial lineout and then the pack drove on, and kept on driving before Henri Williams got the try.
The points increased when Botica added a penalty but once again Pontypridd answered back with a try from Stuckey after it went to the TMO.
It was a pretty loose game with Pontypridd trying to get the ball wide as quickly as possible.
The turning point was in the 65 minute when Ponty were camped on the RGC line, but then spilled the ball and Loots fully punished them. The centre raced the length of the field to score and make it a 30 to 18 lead.
It was RGC’s turn to go to the TMO when Loots chance for a hatrick wasn’t given.
Tom Hughes claimed the 5th try of the game and topped of another impressive performance, with Botica hitting another 2 points.
Pontypridd 18 v RGC 37
Shotton Steel 7 v Dolgellau 33
Following report kindly supplied by Dolgellau RFC.
Dolgellau are back in the First division amid jubilant scenes here on the final whistle. But it took a try against the run of play from Dolgellau replacement wing, Carwyn Pugh, mid-way through the second half, when Dolgellau led by only 12-0, to finally give the visitors some breathing space in this, up to then, tense and close match.
The match was another personal triumph for Dolgellau youngster, Henri Roberts, scoring 23 of his sides’ points, calmly handling the pressure of easing Dolgellau ahead with three first half penalties, all from difficult angles, to give them a slender 0-9 half time lead.
Although the visitors were controlling the game amicably, they could not break down Shotton’s resistance and as the half went on, the hosts grew in confidence and began to disrupt Dolgellau’s normally reliable set pieces.
Shotton started the second half on fire, and wing Shaun Kemp and centre Huw Sargeant both had tries disallowed by referee Amanda Lattuca, and it took Henri Roberts’ fourth penalty after a quarter of an hour to settle Dolgellau once again, and give them a 12-0 lead. Going into the last quarter, a Shotton attempted clearance was plucked out the air by winger, Carwyn Pugh and his pace saw him sprint home down the left touchline for the try. Henri Roberts converted to put the visitors 19-0 ahead.
Shotton were far from finished, and only two minutes later, got their just reward as centre Huw Sargeant finally crossed after several close calls to put them on the score sheet. Stand-off , Steve Ellison converted to make it 7-19. However from this point onwards Dolgellau were magnificent, and after 35 minutes following a scrum on the home 22, inspirational skipper Gerwyn Thomas wrong footed the home cover to slip a short pass to centre Henri Roberts to burst through for the score. He duly added the conversion to put the visitors 7-26 ahead.
Almost straight from the re-start Dolgellau replacement flanker Iwan Evans broke free into the Shotton half, and he found centre Gareth Hughes, who has been outstanding all season, on his shoulder to sprint away to score under the posts. Roberts slotted over the conversion to seal a memorable and hugely important, win for the visitors that deservedly sees them return to the top flight in North Wales Rugby.
Referee : Amanda Lattuca
Dolgellau:
1.Dan Hughes,[Arron Brooks] 2.Geraint Evans, 3.Dan Brazier,4.Carwyn Hughes,[Iwan Evans],5.Rhys Roberts, 6.Rob Lewis,7.Marius Jones,[Iwan Pugh],8.Dylan Llewelyn, 9.Jac Roberts, 10.Gerwyn Thomas [capt],12.Henri Roberts, 13.Gareth Hughes,14.Rhys Lewis,[Carwyn Pugh],11.Rob Pugh, 15.Gerwyn Pugh.
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