A round-up of match reports from games played around the region.
If you have a match report you would like included in this round-up, please email it to gwcymru1@aol.com - many thanks
Bala 10 v Ruthin 13
Following report and picture kindly supplied by Ruthin RFC.
Ruthin were on the attack from the start in this WRU Plate match at Bala and were 5-0 after 5 minutes when centre Emyr Gwynedd put wing Josh Wilson through for an unconverted try.
For the rest of the half Bala were pretty much pinned into their own half as the Blues tried to get more points on the board but despite good phase play and some intelligent kicking the home side’s defence held and there was no further score before the whistle blew.
Straight after the break the visitors had to withstand some pressure from Bala but the lines were cleared and Bala conceded a penalty in Ruthin’s half.
From the resulting lineout on Bala’s 22, good phase play led to hooker Danny Miller putting centre Emyr Gwynedd through for an unconverted try.
Bala tried to respond but after good defence the Blues went back on the attack and went further ahead with a penalty goal from fly half Nathan Jones.
With 25 minutes to go Bala turned up heat and after another ten minutes 2nd Row Moi Dafydd drove the pack over the Ruthin line from a lineout 5 yds out for the home side’s 1st score.
Ruthin had to use all their resources to withstand the home side’s attack which they did until the 78th minute when after tying up the Ruthin defence against pick and run the ball was passed out to wing Elgan Evans to go over for an unconverted try.
With only three points between the teams, both sides tried to widen the gap in the few minutes left of injury time but defences held and the whistle blew with Ruthin winning 13-10.
The Blues will have to wait for the draw to see who they play next in the Plate competition.
Nant Conwy 34 v Bethesda 8
Following report kindly supplied by Nant Conwy RFC.
Trefn y sgorio a'r sgorwyr / Scoring Sequence and scorers:
16 m: 0 - 3 HUW JAMES, 26m: 5 - 3 ARTHUR LENNON & 7 – 3 ARTHUR LENNON, 33m: 12 - 3 CARWYN ap MYRDDIN, 36m: 17 – 3 ARTHUR LENNON.
47m: 17 – 8 GARETH DAVIES, 51m : 22 – 8 CAI JONES, 71m: 27 – 8 ARTHUR LENNON & 29 – 8 ARTHUR LENNON, 74m: 34 – 8 CARWYN ELLIS.
Dyfarnwr / Referee: Mr Sion Wynne, Caernarfon
Rownd gyntaf o Blât SWALEC yn gweld Bro Ffestiniog yn ymweld â Phant Carw. Dyma’r ail gêm rhwng y ddau dîm y tymor yma, gyda Nant wedi llwyddo yn y gêm gyntaf.
Tîm ifanc, ysbrydol a thalentog gan yr ymwelwyr, ac yn wir, am yr ugain munud cyntaf y nhw oedd yn gwneud yr ymosodiau, ond yn anffodus iddynt, Nant yn amddiffyn yn gyfforddus. Cangymeriad gan Nant wedi chwarter awr pan ddyfarnwyd eu bod wedi cadw gafael ar y bêl yn y dacl yn rhy hir, a hynny o dan y pyst. Cic gosb hawdd yn rhoi yr ymwelwyr ar y blaen o dri phwynt i ddim.
Yna, gyda phum munud ar hugain wedi mynd fe drodd y llanw. Cais a throsiad yn rhoi Nant yn awr ar y blaen. Ychydig ar ôl yr hanner awr, cais arall ar yr asgell chwith yn dilyn symudiad cyflym o hanner Nant o’r cae. Dim llwyddiant y tro hwn gyda’r trosiad. Pedwar munud yn ddiweddarach, cangymeriad arall, y tro hwn gan Bro, wrth glirio’r bêl o’u chwarter diwethaf, y bêl yn mynd yn syth i ddwylo Nant â chais hawdd yn cael ei sgorio yn nghornel yr asgell dde.
Y sgôr ar yr hanner amser Nant Conwy dau ar bymtheg, Bro Ffestiniog tri.
Hyfforddwyr Bro wedi bod yn brysur dros yr hanner amser, newid tactegau a‘r bechgyn o Stiniog yn dangos digon o ysbrydoliaeth a thalent yn amrywio eu hymosodiadau, ac o fewn pum munud, gwelwyd nhw yn sgorio’r eu hunig gais o’r gêm. Er ei holl ymdrechion, methu yn llwyr a wnaethant i ychwanegu at y sgôr, ac fel y daeth y gêm yn llacach, Nant a lwyddodd i fanteisio ar y sefyllfa gan sgorio tri chais, y diwethaf heb os nac oni bai, yn un o’r ceisiau gorau a welwyd yn Mhant Carw ers rhai blynyddodd.
Y sgôr terfynol, Nant Conwy 34 Bro Ffestiniog 8.
The first round of the SWALEC Plate saw Bro Ffestiniog visiting Pant Carw. This was the second time this season that these two sides have met, with Nant taking the honours in the League encounter.
The first twenty minutes, saw a young spirited and talented Bro side do the majority of the attacking, while Nant defended comfortably. A mistake by Nant after fifteen minutes enabled Bro to open the scoring with any easy penalty kick in front of the posts, Nant having been penalised for holding on.
Twenty five minutes in, the tide turned. A try and a successful conversion extended Nant’s lead. On the half hour, another try for Nant, this time in the left hand corner following a fast and flowing attack from their own half. Four minutes later, another costly mistake, this time by Bro when trying to clear their lines, kicking straight into the hands of a Nant player resulting in an easy try on the right wing.
The half time score, Nant Conwy 17, Bro ffestiniog 8.
A change of tactics by the Bro coaches and spirited attacking play saw them score their one and only try of the game after five minutes. Despite all their spirited efforts they were unable to add to their score and as the game opened up, it was Nant who showed their attacking superiority, scoring three further tries, the last of which is the best seen at Pant Carw for many years.
Onwards to the next round for Nant but the end of the road for Bro.
The final score Nant Conwy 34, Bro Ffestiniog 8
[John Parry]
Menai Bridge 24 v Bangor University 7
Following report kindly supplied by Menai Bridge RFC.
After an early exit from the WRU bowl, Bridge were pleased to welcome Bangor University who were looking to assess their squad for the coming season.
Bridge enjoyed the best of the early exchanges and were rewarded when Sam Williams thundered over for the opening try.
The Uni then enjoyed a prolonged period of pressure, which culminated in a series of 5 metre scrums. Bridge were penalised several times, as they desperately tried to defend their line. Eventually the referee tired of the persistent offending and a penalty try closed the gap.
Bridge then managed to attack the visitors and a strong run from centre Lewis Harrison brought a try. The half time score stood at 14-7.
In the second half the home side managed to take a little more control of the game.
Persistent pressure paid off and scrum half Gareth Parry snatched a close quarter touch down.
The final try of the game was undoubtedly the best. Quick hands put prop Adam Goodwin in space down the right wing. With a turn of speed cultivated by many seasons as a winger, he outsprinted the defenders for a fine try.
The final score was 24-7 and in truth both teams would like to improve their attack.
Bridge will be working hard this week, in preparation for their league visit to Pwllheli next Saturday.
Llandudno 20 v Mold 9
Following report kindly supplied by Llandudno RFC.
Dudno won this WRU Plate 1st Round in the second half of the match.
The visitors Mold, who are one place above the home side in Division North 1, took an
early lead with two converted penalties by Cai Williams.
Dudno took a while to settle down, and on twenty five minutes of play, that after they had put the visitors on the back foot, Ryan Pike crossed the try line for a touch down, which he also converted.
The first half was one of a very evenly balanced contest, with both sides putting the defences to test, but it ended with Dudno being in the lead by one point.
Dudno with a strong wind in their favour used this to keep Mold down in their half, and after ten minutes start of this half they raced up field with Lloyd Evans scoring a try with Ryan Pike adding an extra two points with the conversion, and further increasing the home lead with two more penalty conversions.
Constant rain throughout the match caused many handling mistakes by both sides. Mold were restricted by a firm and solid home defence from scoring any tries in the match, and were only able to add to their scoreline with a converted penalty by Cai Williams.
Dudno sealed the win in the final quarter of play with two more converted penalties by Ryan Pike taking them into the second round of the Plate Competition.
Man of the Match Ed Weston.
Next Saturday Div 1 North at home to Bala.
Wrexham 43 v Dinbych 10
Following report kindly supplied by Dinbych RFC.
Dinbych's early season run of success came to an abrupt end when Wrexham gained revenge for their narrow league defeat the previous week with an emphatic victory in this First Round tie in the WRU Bowl competition.
This came from the work of their forwards edging the set pieces and from their greater physicality in the contact area whilst they were more direct in their running lines and their good close support play which kept up the momentum of their attacks.
In contrast Dinbych had to operate with slower possession which enabled a sound and aggressive Wrexham defence to pressurise them into handling errors and to stifle their attacking intentions especially in the second half when they were playing catch up rugby.
Dinbych started well and opened the scoring after only ten minutes when they counter attacked from a relieving Wrexham kick for full back Gruff Roberts to outflank the home defence for a try which outside half Dan O'Sullivan converted.
Wrexham soon replied when Dinbych offended at a scrum just inside their 22 for centre James Price to put over the resultant penalty. Wrexham began to dominate both territory and possession and took the lead midway through the half when they were awarded a penalty try when Gruff Roberts stopped a scoring opportunity close to the line with a deliberate knock on. Even worse he was sin binned for ten minutes but in which time Dinbych equalised when Dan O'Sullivan kicked a penalty from 35 metres.
Wrexham however were continuing to dominate and after a period of pressure in the Dinbych 22 second row Bob Moore went over for a try after breaking from the side of a short range ruck . James Price added the conversion points to leave Wrexham ahead by 17 points to 10 at the interval.
Dinbych now had a diagonal wind in their favour in the second but like Wrexham in the first half did not use it to their advantage to find field position but relied on their normally potent backs to attack from any position. Unfortunately they were pressurised into errors by an aggressive defence allowing Wrexham to counter attack and make more ground from broken play.
Wrexham extended their lead nine minutes into the second half when Dinbych lost a line out just short of their line for prop Jamie Weston to force his way over for a try converted by James Price. Dinbych continued to attempt to play their normal attacking style of play but made little headway against Wrexham's defence whilst the hosts were growing in confidence as the half progressed and their support play paid dividends as further tries were scored by No 8 John Gill, a second by Rob Moore and by wing Jack Radcliffe with James Price adding two conversions.
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