There's still time to send in your report from Saturday or Sunday. Photo is from Rhyl v Llanidloes kindly provided by Paul Brookes, Rhyl Photographic Society.
Bala 12 v 27 Pwllheli
(h/t 12 - 12 )
Pwllheli travelled to Bala expecting a backlash from the home team after the Swalec Plate defeat last month and a 5-2 tries defeat at Bodegroes in September. It was no surprise that during the first quarter of this match their determined display and effort forced the visitors' defence to conceed numerous penalties, three of which were successfuly converted by outside half Rhydian Jones. The last of these was scored when Rhydian's opposite number was yellow carded for not releasing a tackled player. However, temporary fly half Owain Williams started a fightback when his elegant run ended under the posts and it was a simple conversion for scrum-half Nic Butterworth. Five minutes later, flanker Chris Studt darted out of a maul and crossed for his side's second try.
Penalties were being awarded on a regular basis and following a general warning to both sides, a few minutes before half time, Jones converted another penalty to make the score 12-12. In injury time Bala lost their prop to a yellow card for yet another ruck offence.
Early in the second half, before the home side returned to full strength, Pwllheli winger Robin Hughes Jones finished off a close passing attacking move from mid-field when he squeezed over the line at the corner flag.
Thereafter, the visitors became fully in charge of the match and extended their lead five minutes later when Butterworth was successful with a penalty attempt following a yellow card to Bala's outside half. Bala were reduced to 13 men shortly afterwards when a third yellow was issued but to their credit, and with some ferocious tackling, their defence held firm until injury time when Pwllheli outside half John Pugh scythed through defenders to score under the posts. He converted his own try for a final score of 27-12 to the visitors.
A red card was issued to the visitors' replacement centre for a high tackle four minutes from time but generally Pwllheli managed the Bala lateral attacks throughout the game and dominated in the second half ,but the home team deserve credit for their determination and guile.
Next week, it will be Pwllheli v Nant Conwy at Bodegroes and the result will probably decide this year's League 1 North winners.
*****
Rhyl Youth 57 v Colwyn Bay Youth 3
Rhyl Youth started the New Year with a stunning 50 point win against Colwyn Bay at the Waen on Saturday.
Colwyn Bay opened the scoring with an early penalty before Rhyl's forwards worked their way up the pitch with a series of quick rucks. Harry Lowe opened the scoring for Rhyl.
Next a series of great moves and thoughtful runs from the young back line created a great try for Liam Bateman, followed by tries from Matthew Purnell, Liam Bateman again and two tries for Lewis Wrightson.
The forwards decided to get into try scoring action with tries from Tim Back and Jayvon King before the referee ended the game with the final score at 57-3.
Man of the Match was Liam Bateman. This coming Saturday, Rhyl Youth take on mid Wales side COBRA at the Waen in the North Wales Cup, kick off 2.30 pm.
*****
Rhyl 18 v Llanidloes 7
Rhyl returned to league action at last at the Waen with a hard fought win against Llan, a side Rhyl narrowly lost to in mid Wales earlier this season. Once again coach Phil Blakoe was forced into several changes due to a lengthy injury list, however after a nervy start, the Dragons began to settle and after an early penalty from stand off Callum Bennet, who controlled play well all game, Rhyl began to play some of their best rugby for several weeks with captain Dale Blackmore back to form and the front row of Gaz Ayres, veteran Gareth Davies and the tireless Chris Bartlett in particular outstanding.
Rhyl increased the lead soon after with a well worked try that saw Callum Morris cross in the corner. Rhyl stetched the lead to 15 points before the break when after a surging run from number 8 Blackmore,, wing Louis Collinge touched down under the posts.
The second period saw Rhyl soak up all the pressure the visitors could throw at them and after another Bennet penalty it wasn't until the last minute of the game that Llan crossed for a consolation score.
This was an excellent win for a young Dragons squad and coach Blakoe was delighted with the attitude shown by the whole side.
*****
League Division 6 (Central)
Llandrindod Wells 20 v Aberbargoed 8
This was a tremendous match, capable of blowing the most stubborn of Christmas holiday cobwebs to the wind. Full of commitment, passion, a controversy or two, but played in the real spirit of the game with Llandrindod recording their second win in a row, outscoring their visitors by three tries to one.
In fact it was Llandrindod who put the first points on the board in the opening minute of the game. The take from Llandrindod's opening kick was fumbled by Aberbargoed, allowing stand-off Jonathan Duggan to sprint 30 metres to the line, then handing the ball to skipper Jac Holden to touch down. Holden converted from out wide but the conversion was disallowed by the referee because it took over 1 minute to take the kick, due it seems to a misplaced kicking tee.
Waking up from the quick set-back Aberbargoed went on the offensive winning a penalty kicked by Aaron Mathews, but Llandrindod maintained their five point lead with a penalty of their own, by Holden. With Aberbargoed now attacking Llandrindod with purpose, the home side were under a degree of pressure but defended well and indeed scored their second try, this time from a kick-ahead by scrum-half Paul Griffiths that left the Aberbargoed defence flat-footed, Griffiths touching down for the try he made himself. The rest of this half saw Llandrindod in desperate defence scrambling back to their line in the face of determined Aberbargoed assaults but the visitors were unable to decrease the Llandrindod lead.
The start of the second half was really a continuation of what had gone before, Aberbargoed making most of the running with Llandrindod pinned to their own half. Desperate and dogged defence kept them out but eventually something had to give with Aberbargoed's Simon Lane touching down for an unconverted try. Still more defence but with Llandrindod showing more than a spark of form, the highlight of which was a rolling maul that started just inside the Aberbargoed half and proceeded in orderly fashion to their line but broke down at the end. Finally, Llandrindod made the game secure when prop Richard Watkins, during another forward led attack, forced his way over to score.
This week Llandrindod travel to Cefn Forest in the League.
*****
WRU Division 7
Rhayader 10 v Cathays 33
Rhayader performed the impossible on Saturday and managed to put out a squad for their encounter with top of the table Cathays.
The free scoring side from Cardiff were always going to be tough and so the last thing Rhayader needed was an outbreak of an illness bug epidemic as well as injuries James Rees, Paul Powell, Gareth Evans and Mike Cameron were the heroes to climb off their sick beds and Jamie Naylor (hand), Stephen Boore (eye) and returning Haydn O'Reilly (calf) played through though injured.
Rhayader without outside half Matt Boore started with James Luty in the 10 by Browse to Save"position from centre. Naylor moved in at 13 and O'Reilly filled in at full back.
Cathays started the game strongly and from the very beginning were keen to spread the ball wide and attack. Rhayader weathered the early storm and were getting into the game when Cathays scored the opening try, a fine back move and the conversion followed.
Rhayader were back level soon after though with a try of their own. Mike Cameron picking up from the back of the scrum and driving over for a great individual try. Haydn O'Reilly added the extras.
Cathays scored their second try of the half, again through their backs, but this time the conversion was missed. Terry- John Hutchinson was yellow carded for foul play soon after. Late in the first half Haydn O'Reilly converted a mammoth penalty from wide out right to make the half time score a very ompetitive 12-10 to Cathays.
Second half proved Cathays to be a little bit stronger and a little bit fitter, running in a further three tries to pick up yet another by Browse to Save"bonus point win. Rhayader however can take a lot of heart from the first half performance against a team which are head and shoulders too good for Division 7.
Jack Quarterman picked up the man of the match award showing that Rhayader will really miss the scrum half when he goes to New Zealand at the end of January although Nathan Hammond and his line out jumping ran him very close.
Afterwards coach Bobby Williams thanked the 'heroes' who got off their sick beds but bemoaned the falling numbers at by Browse to Save"training asking for a return of the old effort and mentality as we move into 2013.
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