The photograph is from the Rhyl v Llangollen game and was kindly supplied by Gill Winter of the Rhyl Photographic Society.
Rhyl 38 v Llangollen 17
A six try romp, with Nathan Roberts notching a hat trick, saw coach Phil Blakoe celebrating another home success after turning around at half time behind. With Paul Sellwood, Jack Hughes and Dale Blackmore also dotting the ball over the whitewash, and two conversions and one penalty goal for Henry Roberts, it was a bonus point win for the Waen men.
******
Shotton Steel 17 v Colwyn Bay 11
Colwyn Bay failed to take full advantage of the home sides ill discipline in the second half after leading by 11-0 at the break. The Bay started strongly but a solid home defence held firm until the second quarter as the visitors took the lead with a brace of goals from full back Henry Morris before scrum half Ben Evans crashed over on the stroke of half time to increase their lead.
A serious leg injury to the Shotton player delayed the start of the second half but after a forty minuty break it was the home side who took control as the Bay failed to find their first half form. Despite receiving four yellow cards in the second half the home side ran in two tries without reply from wing John Ketland and centre Louis McDonald both of which were converted by outside half Stephen Ellson who completed the scoring with a late penalty.
******
Colwyn Bay Youth 23 v Rhyl Youth 22
The Bay Youth began the 2012-2013 league season with a narrow victory beating a tough Rhyl side who would feel disappointed to lose this match having built a comfortable lead only to lose it in the last minutes of the game.
The home side started brightly, dictating and controlling the game but showed defensive frailties when put under pressure. Rhyl opened the scoring with a penalty and the home side went further behind when the visitors scored a converted try.
The Bay did not capitalise on their chances to narrow the lead by missing a kickable penalty and opted for a quick tap but unfortunately spilled the ball to turn possession over to the visitors whose pack started to assert their dominance at the set-pieces and where they won good ball for their backs to use.
The Bay’s defence on their own try line was heroic with the visitors creating numerous chances to extend the lead but No.8 Lloyd Jones’s try saving tackle and then dragging the Rhyl player up to the 5m line inspiring the rest of the side and trail by seven points going into the interval with fly-half Pat Atkinson slotting over a late penalty.
Rhyl continued their dominance into the second period scoring an early try though their impressive back division. Pat Atkinson replied with a penalty but the visitors powered their way back by scoring a well worked try to lead by a healthy margin going into the last quarter.
The visitors pack tired towards the later stages of the match and gaps appeared in their defence, Lloyd Jones who carried the ball well all afternoon breached the weakening defence and scythed his way through into the 22 to offload to Pat Atkinson who crossed to score his side’s first try.
This restored belief and The Bay’s inexperienced players responded by combining with the senior members of the squad to set-up an exciting finale. Rhyl’s discipline faltered and Pat Atkinson converted an important penalty to trail by six points with five minutes to play.
With momentum favouring the home side they continued to pressurise deep in their opponents territory and man of the match centre Jordan Sheridan broke a couple of weak tackles to score under the posts for Pat Atkinson to add the winning extras. Unfortunately this was to be the centre’s last contribution of the match because of an ankle injury which left the home side with 14 players to play the remaining two minutes of the match. The Bay survived a tense and nervous couple of minutes to seal an excellent winning start to the campaign.
******
Following report kindly supplied by Colwyn Bay RFC
Caernarfon Under 16s 5 v Colwyn Bay Under 16s 12
As the Team Manager for the ninth year, this season opened with a very unique set of circumstances for one of the club's most successful team year on year... player shortages. The annual September headache for Aiden of having 25 players turn up for duty and to pick from in September did not occur this year. Over the summer the Bay have lost six key players to family relocations, football, mountain biking etc so today was real challenging with many players moving into new positions..
However the Under 16s Bay Team got a cruel stroke of luck on the eve of this game when Jordan Edwards, who has been the Bay Loose Head Prop Forward for the last eight years (and is always first name of the team sheet by position and ability), broke his collar bone playing for Rydal School on the Saturday 15th September. Jordan was sorely missed and our best wishes are with him for a speedy recovery.
Today the Bay had 15 players for selection and the game was played at the Caernarfon Leisure centre in strong winds and driving rain against a very competent Caernarfon team with lots of experienced players.
With the loss of a prop forward the Bay had to go for uncontested scrums against Caernarfon which does understandly take something away from the game but was necessary to protect new players to that position. The game, as can be seen by the score, was a very keenly contested match with Caernarfon much improved since the last meeting and the First Hydro Tournament in April of this year.
For the first 25 mintues there was no score due to some excellent defence work by both sides with Olly Wood now at fullback putting in two try saving tackles. After 27 minutes, and just before half time, the Bay line was eventually breeched when Aled, the pacey Caernarfon winger, went in for a well worked try which was a fair reflection of the territory and possession and Caernarfon were worthy of their lead. The conversion was missed and it was 5 nil at half time to Caernarfon.
In the second half the Bay got back into the game after Connah Harding Fly Half chased through a kick and beat the two man covering defence to the touch down. The conversion was converted by Harri Chinery Parkes, Captain, and playing at Centre and the Bay were back in front.
The second half followed the first half and there was some excellent territorial kicking by both sides which the Bay fielded very well with supporting runners in attack and defence. Caernarfon were dominant in the line out with some excellent jumping by their number two jumper, and they could have gone ahead but fortunately the 30 metre penalty kick which drifted away from the Bay posts in the wind.
The Bay were not to be outdone and after 50 minutes and from set piece scrum in their own half, the Bay scored a superb team try, with the ball being moved through the complete set of backs hands to new boy Kieran Smith, to run around his opposition to score in the corner for an unconverted try.
For the final ten minutes all of the Bay team defended manfully with Caernarfon pummelling the Bay line time after time. However with great defence, team discipline, leadership, and man for man tackling, the Bay held the Caernarfon team out to claim a very close away victory.
Man of the Match was Olly Wood who has converted from Winger to Fullback, and other notable performances were from the two new boys Kieran Smith Winger and George Hopkins playing a full game for the first time at Prop.
Well done boys it is great to be back and next week it is Llangefni at home and be at the club for 09.45am in collar and tie.
******
There are no events to show yet.