Reports will be added as they come in from clubs for games involving the clubs of North and Mid Wales
Welshpool 59 v Porthmadog 0
Welshpool started brightly and spurned a couple of early try scoring opportunities with some handling errors. However, all the play was in the Porthmadog half and after ten minutes the visiting defence couldn’t prevent Welshpool’s hooker, Ryan Griffiths, crashing over for a try, converted by Daley Jones to give a 7-0 lead.
Despite being camped in the Porth half, it took another ten minutes before Pool breached the resilient Porth defence, this time Phil Saunders, outside half, going over under the posts, Daley Jones again converting to make it 14-0.
The hosts were in a 14-0 lead last week at Bangor before being trounced 51-19 and were determined that this wouldn’t happen again this week. Non-stop pressure from the home side allowed scrum half, Jon Rhys-Jones, the chance to dance over the line with a try and make it 19-0.
With half-time looming, skipper and centre, Andrew Thomas, got himself on the scoresheet with a try, converted by Jones, to give an interval score of Welshpool 26 v Porthmadog 0.
The second half was played with uncontested scrums and another try by scrum-half Rhys-Jones, converted to give a score of 33-0 and the opportunity for the home side to bring on their substitutes for a run out.
Ten minutes in to the half, one of the contenders for man of the match, Pool’s second row Ryan Goodwin, bullocked over the line to score the sixth try, again converted by Jones, to bring the score to 40-0.
A period of scrappy play ensued for the next fifteen minutes or so with Porth at last enjoying some territory and possession. Pool were not in the mood however, even with the victory secure, to allow their line to be crossed.
Flanker Joe Stranks, capped a probable man of the match performance with a try of his own after 27 minutes of the half, converted to make it 47-0.
Substitute and club veteran, Steve Cross, waltzed his way through some poor Porth tackling to score out wide and take the score past the half century.
Skipper Andy Thomas had the final say with his second and Pool’s ninth try with a couple of minutes to go and give a final scoreline to the game, which was excellently refereed, of Welshpool 59 v Porthmadog 0.
*****
Ruthin 25 v Bala 9
With both Bala and Ruthin on equal points in Division 1 North and with a top 4 end of season place in prospect this match was destined to be a hard-fought encounter.
The visitors showed their intention with the first move of the match where from the kick off they put pressure on Ruthin’s defence.
The home side conceded a penalty which Rhydian Jones slotted over. Ruthin responded with a fine try down the wing from Hugh Sharples and then after pressurising the Bala defence the pack drove forward from a lineout 10yds from the Bala line and the ball was passed out for centre Gethin Hughes to go over for a try. Ruthin continued to have the majority of the possession and territory although Bala looked dangerous when they got into the Blues half, the home side’s solid defence held.
Both sides conceded penalty goals kicked by Jones and Sharples and at the break Ruthin were 13-6 ahead. After half time Ruthin continued the pressure in Bala’s half but their tough defence was hard to crack.
Eventually the break came when centre Harri Morgan forced his way through and offloaded to flanker Clwyd Jones for a fine try which Sharples converted.
Bala responded and kicked another penalty goal but the Blues resumed their attack and after some incisive running by wing Huw Parry he offloaded to Sharples who went over for Ruthin’s bonus point try. The home side continued to attack but the visitor’s defence held and the whistle blew with the score 25-9 to Ruthin.
*****
Holyhead 7 v Menai Bridge 73
Visitors, Menai, were far too strong for Holyhead in this Anglesey derby eventually running out 73 - 7 winners.
Menai helped themselves to 13 tries, four of which were converted. Powerful centre, Sam Williams claimed 4 tries with fellow-centre, Vaughan Francis scoring a hat-trick, and scrum-half, Eddie Williams a brace.
Other try scorers were No 8 James Roberts, prop Andy Bolton, wingers Dion McGrath and Rich Roberts. Iwan Jones converted three and Dion McGrath one.
Centre Williams achieved his hat-trick in the opening 10 minutes, then Eddie Williams scored the first of his two tries, on the 12th minute the bonus point was secured.
At the interval Menai led 51 - 0 having scored 9 tries.
On resumption Menai made several changes making the contest a little more even. Holyhead were were encouraged when a break-away took them deep into the visitors' half enabling Bruce Roberts to score a tr , improved by Joe Harbury.
Their revival was, however, shortlived as Menai sealed a convicing win by scoring four more tries.
*****
Pwllheli 13 v Nant Conwy 13
Sgorwyr Nant Conwy Scorers:
Ceisiau / Tries: ROBIN ‘EIDDA’ DAVIES & AERON JONES
Cosb / Penalties: AERON JONES(1)
Sgorwyr Pwllheli Scorers:
Ceisiau / Tries: Alwyn Trenholme(1)
Trosi / Conversions: Nick Butterworth(1)
Cosb / Penalties:Nick Butterworth(2)
Ar ddiwedd y gêm, roedd yr holl gefnogwyr o’r ddwy ochr yn cytuno fod y canlyniad yn un têg a’i bod wedi dangos rygbi’r Gogledd ar ei orau – rygbi cystadleuol glân, heb unrhyw arwydd o gerdyn ag ychydig iawn o gosbi drwy’r holl gêm. Dau dîm yn chwarae gyda phatrymau tebyg ac, i raddau’n canslo’i gilydd yng nghanol cae. Aeth y tîm cartref ar y blaen yn eu hymosodiad llawn cyntaf wrth i’r blaen asgellwr Alwyn godi’r bêl o fôn ryc a thirio gan adael trosiad pur hawdd i Nick. Bu i bac Nant dreulio’r 20 munud nesaf yn gweithio a hyrddio’u ffordd yn araf i fyny’r cae gan gyrraedd yn ddigon agos i Aeron gicio cic gosb ar 26 munud. Chwarae pur gyfartal, ond o safon, a welwyd am weddill yr hanner gyda Nick yn trosi cic gosb ar 35 munud i roi sgôr o 10 – 3 i’r tîm cartref ar yr hanner.
Dechreuodd yr ail hanner hwn modd tebyg i’r cyntaf gyda Nant yn ymosod y tro hwn a llwyddodd y blaen asgellwr, Robin Eidda i dirio o fôn ryc arall (9 munud). Aflwyddiannus fu’r ymgais i drosi. Pawb yn gytun y gallai’r canlyniad fynd y naill ffordd wrth i’r chwarae barhau cyn i Nick roi Pwllheli ymhellach ar y blaen gyda chic gosb (31 munud). Dangosodd Nant eu cymeriad am yr amser a oedd yn weddill a gwelwyd cais y gêm ar 38 munud wrth i sawl ton o ymosod orffen gydag Aeron (rhif 15) yn osgoi pob tacl ar yr asgell chwith i blymio trosodd ger y llinell ochr. Bu iddo lithro fel y ceisiodd drosi’i gais ei hun ac ni chododd y bêl fawr ddim oddiar wyneb y maes! Sgôr derfynnol haeddiannol a thêg i’r ddwy ochr felly (13 – 13) gyda Nant yn parhau gyda 8 pwynt o fantais tros Pwllheli ar frig tabl Adran 1 y Gogledd.
Bydd Nant yn chwarae nesaf gartref yn erbyn LLANFAIR YM MUALLT ar y 19eg Ionawr 2013 (Plât SWALEC – rownd 3) gyda’r gic gyntaf am 2.00 o’r gloch.
Every supporter watching this ‘top of the table’ match, from both sides, were agreed that it had been a real spectacle, showing North Wales rugby at its best with an equally fair result at the end.
There was no hint of a card of any sort throughout but no quarters were given by either side. In fact the number of penalties conceded throughout was low as well. The home team went ahead in the first real attack after 5 minutes play when flanker Alwyn picked the ball up from the base of a ruck and touched down to leave Nick with a fairly easy conversion.
With both sides playing in a similar manner, the play tended to be between the forwards with Nant slowly gaining field ascendency. They arrived near enough for AERON to convert a penalty after 26 minutes play.. The rest of the half was full of good class rugby being interrupted by Nick slotting over his second penalty after 35 minutes to give Pwllheli a 10 – 3 lead at the interval.
The second half began in a very similar fashion but this time it was Robin Eidda, the Nant flanker who picked up the ball from a ruck and scored a try after 9 minutes play but the conversion attemp was unsuccessful. Every spectator was agreed that the result could go either way as play carried on before Nick put the home side further ahead after 31 minutes.
From this point on, Nant showed their character and piled on even more pressure. Arguably, the try of the match was scored after 38 minutes when Full Back, Aeron jinked his way after receiving the ball on the left wing and avoided three tackles to touch down in the corner. In his attempt to convert his own try, he slipped on the wet surface and the ball hardly left the ground!
A final score of 13 – 13 then in a truly enthalling match between two good sides. As a result, Nant maintain their 8 point lead over Pwllheli at the top of Division 1 North.
The next match that Nant will be play will be a SWALEC Plate (round 3) HOME match against BUILTH WELLS on the 19th January 2013 with the kick off at 2.00 p.m.
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