Saturday, 8th December match reports from games played involving the clubs of North and Mid Wales
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Pwllehli 6 v Ruthin 13
Following report kindly supplied by Ruthin RFC
With Pwllheli riding high at 2nd in the table and Ruthin needing points to maintain contact with the upper half of the table, this away match was destined to be a tough encounter for the Blues.
The visitors started well and playing with confidence kept the play in the home side’s half for the first 20 minutes with the pressure finally paying off with a penalty goal by centre Shay Owen.
Pwllheli responded immediately and kicked a penalty goal from Ruthins 10 yard line. The Blues forwards play was excellent and the pack was getting the better of most of the scrums with the ball being quickly distributed out by youth player Phyl Roberts at scrum half.
The Blues continued to harry the home side and although there was an opportunity to go ahead with a penalty goal kick the score remained at 3-3 at half time.
After the break pressure from wing Huw Parry led to a penalty 10yds out from the Pwllheli try line which Owen slotted over. With Ruthin ahead Pwllheli tried to recover the position but Ruthins excellent defence and continued good scrummaging kept the home side at bay.
Eventually Pwllheli evened the score with a penalty goal again kicked from the blues 10yd line. Ruthin continued to break through the home sides defence with some good flowing rugby and with 5 minutes to go centre Shay Owen powered his way through the Pwllheli defence, went to ground 5 yards from the home sides line offloading to No 8 Chris Davies who went over for a try. Owen converted.
In the 80th minute Pwllheli were awarded a penalty on Ruthin’s 22 and opted to run the ball in order to try and even the score but the Blues defended well and the ball went out with Ruthin winning 13-6. Ruthin’s man of the match was Phyl Roberts.
Following report kindly supplied by Pwllheli RFC
Pwllheli 6 - 13 Ruthin (half-time 3 - 3)
The pitch was in excellent condition despite recent austereous weather conditions, and both teams suffered from the disruption to the fixture list, but it was the visitors who eventually broke a strong defensive line to score the only try of the match.
Shay Owen, playing at centre for Ruthin, managed to convert one of two penalty attempts in the first half and scrum half Nick Butterworth responded to even the score before half time. Throughout the match, players on the ground were being adjudged to have interfered with the ball
or handling in the rucks but generally the two sets of backs played intelligently with a number of deft or clearance kicks as necessary but the tackling was excellent and accurate from both sides.
The second half was a repeat performance on the pitch and score board and a 6-6 draw predicted as a final result. Ruthin often dominated territory and the set pieces, particularly the scrums (whether legal or not) and hassled the home team in the lineouts but they failed to expand their play. Eventually, after a lot of pressure inside the home side 22m line, second row Chris Davies forced his way over the line to score a try with seven minutes left on the clock. Owen was successful with the conversion.
Pwllheli are still second in the league but the players and coaching team were disappointed with the performance which can only be explained as a hangover from recent training disruption and inactivity.
Pwllheli are away to Bala in the Swalec Plate next week - travelling details to follow.
Gwynedd League
Pwllheli 2nds 0 - 20 Ruthin 2nds
Youth League CG1
Bala Yths 5 - 11 Pwllheli Yths
Pwllheli will play Mold (at home) in the North Wales Cup on Saturday 29th December 2-30p.m.
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Caernarfon 12 v Llangefni 6
Following report kindly supplied by Caernarfon RFC
From the off it was apparent that this Swalec League Division 1 North was going to be a close encounter with the deteriorating conditions affording no favours for either side. The opening exchanges were evenly contested with the tackle count high and accurate from both sides.
Slowly Caernarfon began exerting a little more pressure with flanker John Llywelyn prominent and a constant thorn throughout. Kelvin Morris at centre also kicked intelligently with a number of deft chips nearly bringing reward out wide for wing Dylan Gwyn. The scrum was also solid resulting in plenty of ball coming the Cofi way. Eventually a fairly innocuous obstruction call led to Kelvin Morris bisecting the posts to open the Cofi account.
The Cofis failed to expand on this promising spell and allowed Cefni to harass them into mistakes. Carwyn Milburn at stand off may have been a little disappointed to miss a couple of kickable penalties by his usual standards but at last an offside call afforded him the opportunity to draw the scores level just prior to half time.
The second half began favourably for the Cofis with Morris soon adding another three points for a hands in offence. However Milburn soon returned the compliment when the Cofis were adjudged to have interfered with the ball on the deck. There then followed a period where Llangefni enjoyed a purple patch, being quick to any loose ball and the forwards, albeit not in unison, breaking the gain line worryingly for the Cofi supporters.
The Cofis however had a few stalwarts of their own with Sion Gwyn commanding in the lineout, and a disruptive force on Cefni throw-ins. When one Cefni attack broke down the ball was hacked up field to enable the Cofis to finally camp in Cefni territory. Following a shoulder charge as opposed to a fair tackle Morris edged Caernarfon back in front and try as hard as they could Llangefni were not able to sustain the same momentum as previously.
Prop Jordan Scot’s effort at swaying the Judges decision at scrum time became costly with the added ten meters gained enough of an advantage for Kevin Morris to punish Cefni further and open a six point gap with time running out.
Tom Williams tried hard to rally his troops throughout but his best vocal endeavours at encouraging both players and referee fell on deaf ears as the Cofis were able to contain the few final flourishes and hold on for a much needed morale boosting victory.
Next week the stakes are high again with the visit of Nant Conwy in the Cup competition sure to draw a sizeable crowd.
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Dolgellau 19 v Bro Ffestiniog 7
Following report kindly supplied by Dolgellau RFC
Dolgellau emerged victorious from this hard-fought derby match against Bro Ffestiniog and deservedly so. On a surprisingly mild afternoon following an overnight frost, the opening quarter was, as one would expect, a cagey affair.
Dolgellau took an early lead when Bro were penalised for entering a ruck from the side; full-back Tom Roberts coolly converting the resulting penalty from 35 metres. Within minutes Bro had an opportunity to level the scores when they were awarded a penalty 35 metres out, to the left of the posts. Outside-half, Barry Roberts` effort went awry however and Dolgellau maintained their advantage.
As the minutes ticked by Bro looked increasingly threatening, with lively scrum-half, Aron Roberts, gaining good ground on several occasions as he probed for weaknesses in the Dolgellau defence. However, both defences generally looked sound and so play was mostly confined to the mid-field area.
The Dolgellau pack looked very secure and as the half progressed they began to apply pressure to the Bro pack, both in the tight and loose. The home loose-forwards looked eager for the ball and were often quicker to the rucks and mauls than their opposite numbers and secured turn-over ball on a number of occasions, thus enabling their backs to threaten the Bro defence. Flanker Dewi Thomas was excellent, both in loose play and at the line-outs. After 25 minutes play the Dolgellau pack gained good ground at a set-scrum and forced their opponents into conceding a penalty. Up stepped Tom Roberts to slot his second penalty, giving his team a useful six point lead.
As the interval approached Bro worked hard to open their account but the Dolgellau defence held firm and whenever Bro threatened, the hosts seemed to regain the ball and lift the siege with good-quality clearances. Dolgellau then launched an attack down the left side of then pitch with outside -half, Owain Thomas, full-back Huw Wilcox and left-wing Iwan Williams all gaining ground in turn. Wilcox then regained the ball before sprinting ten metres and stretching over the line to score a very worthy try. Although the conversion attempt was a failure, the hosts, now with an eleven-point lead, were in the ascendancy.
Bro were then awarded another penalty-kick at goal but again Barry Roberts` effort went astray, leaving the visiting supporters in frustrated mood. Much to the large crowd’s surprise, considering that there were few stoppages during the half, the referee allowed play to continue for almost 47 minutes before blowing his whistle for half-time.
Having received a stern half-time lecture Bro began the second-half with renewed vigour, but Dolgellau’s offensive defence was excellent and consequently Bro struggled to make headway. This in turn led to frustration and ill-discipline, which the referee could well have clamped down on.
A third Tom Roberts penalty, this time an excellent effort from thirty-eight metres, extended Dolgellau’s lead to fourteen points. Dolgellau wing, Gethin Edwards, then received the ball and set off down the right flank. He deftly chipped ahead before winning the chase for the touch-down to score an excellent individual try. Although Roberts missed with his conversion attempt, Dolgellau now had a healthy 19-0 advantage and were in control of the match.
Unsurprisingly, as the match entered its final quarter, Bro stirred into life. Number eight, Dewi James, was apparent in all their best moves, often appearing in the outside-half position and breaking through the Dolgellau defensive line on several occasions. It seemed inevitable that the persistent Bro pressure would tell and so it proved as burly number eight, Dylan Jones, took a crash-ball at short range. He then bulldozed his way over for a deserved try to the right of the posts. Barry Roberts` conversion from 20 metres made the score 19-7 and gave the visitors renewed hope and ambition.
Although they continued to press hard for the remaining minutes, Dolgellau’s excellent defence held firm, enabling the hosts to gain a well-deserved victory. Prop, Huw Emyr, was nominated Man of the Match for his excellent all-round performance, but had any of his fellow forwards been given the honour, few would have complained.
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Nant Conwy 24 v Bethesda 10
Sgorwyr Nant Conwy Scorers:
Ceisiau / Tries: Grant Jones (2), Gareth Jones(1) Cosb / Penalties: Aeron Jones (3)
Bethesda: Cais/Try, Trosiad/Conversion & Cosb/Penalty: Mathew Parry
Ar brynhawn a drodd allan yn un da iawn i Nant Conwy wrth i Bwllheli a Bro Ffestinog (yr ail a’r trydydd yn yn gynghrair goll eu gemau hwyi), rhoddodd y cymdogion o Fethesda gêm galed i’r tîm cartref. Gellir dadlau i Nant ddechrau gyda rygbi ardderchog ond methu sgorio ceisiau deirgwaith wrth i’r bêl gael ei tharo ymlaen bob tro.
Yn wir, sgoriodd Mathew i roi P’esda ar y blaen ar ôl 23 munud a, dau funud yn ddiweddarach, wrth i Nant bwyso ar linnell yr ymwelwyr, rhyng-gipiodd Mathew y bêl a charlamu i sgorio cais dan y pyst. Trosodd ei gais ei hun i roi Bethesda 10 pwynt ar y blaen. Lleihaodd Aeron y gwahaniaeth pwyntiau wrth drosi’i gic gosb gyntaf o’r prynhawn ar ôl 30 munud. Parhaodd Nant i bwyso a daeth cais haeddiannol iddynt dau funud cyn yr hanner pan diriodd Grant ei gais cyntaf ar yr asgell. Aflwyddiannus fu’r ymdrech i drosi gan roi sgôr o 8 -10 ar yr hanner.
Aeth Nant ar y blaen am y tro cyntaf 7 munud i’r ail hanner pan drososs Aeron ei ail gic gosb (un o bellter yn syth ar ôl crafu’r ochr anghywir i’r postyn ychydig eiliadau ynghynt). Erbyn hyn, gwelwyd fod y rhan fwyaf o’r chwarae’n hanner Bethesda o’r cae gyda blaenwyr Nant yn mesitroli. Llwyddodd Aeron gyda’i drydedd gic gosb ar ôl 24 munud. Yn ystod y 10 munud olaf, Nant oedd yn rheoli’n llwyr gan synhwyro pwynt bonws, o bosibl.
Gorffenwyd ymosodiad ardderchog gan y cefnwyr wrth i Grant dirio reit ar yr asgell dde (methwyd y trosiad) gyda’r eilydd, Gareth (rhif 7) yn carlamu trwy bawb i sgorio cais arall ar yr asgell ar ôl 41 munud. Methwyd y trosiad yma hefyd a serch pwyso’n ddi-dor am y ddau funud olaf, ni chyrhaeddodd y ‘pedwerydd’ cais! Sgôr derfynol o 24 – 10 felly.
Dydd Sadwrn nesaf bydd Nant yn chwarae i ffwrdd yn erbyn Caernarfon yn 2ail rownd Plât SWALEC gyda’r gic gyntaf am 2.00 o’r gloch..
On an afternoon that turned out to be a really good one for Conwy as both their main rivals in the League (Pwllheli and Bro Ffestiniog) lost their respective matches, the neighbours, Bethesda gave the home side a hard match. Arguably, Nant began in the first 10 minutes or so playing excellent rugby and, indeed, had three opportunities to score tries but ‘knocked on’ each time.
Bethesda went ahead after 23 minutes when Mathew slotted over a penalty. With Nant pressing near the visitors line from the re-start, Mathew managed to intercept a pass and ran the entire length of the pitch to score a try under the posts. He converted his own efforts to make the score 0 – 10 for the visitors!.
After 30 miutes play, Aeron reduced the arrears when he converted the first of his three penalties. Nnant continued to pressureise the Bethesda defence and the try that Grant scored on the right wing two minutes before half time was a deserved score. The conversion attempt failed and the half time score was 8 – 10.
Nant went ahead for the first time after 7 minutes play when Aern slotted over a long range penalty literally seconds after another attempt of his scraped the wrong side of the post!. From then on, the Nant pack assumed near total control and Aeron was successful again after 24 minutes when he slotted another penalty over.
During the last 10 minutes of play, Nant were camped in the Bethesda half of the field and a really beautiful movement of the ball along the back line finished wneh Grant touching down for his second try right out on the right wing. Again, the conversion attempt failed but Nant were sensing a possible ‘bonus point’ win now.
With the play in ‘extra time’ and from the restart, substitute flanker, Gareth gathered the ball and showed his pace in out running a tiring defence to touch down in the right corner again. The ‘drop kick’ attempt at converting failed and Bethesda, to their credit, held out for the last two minutes to ensure that Nant did not gain the extra point. The final score of the match read 24 – 10 with everybody present indicating the enjoyment that the afternoon had provided.
Next Saturday, Nant will be playing away at Caernarfon in a SWALEC Plate (round 2) match with the kick of being at 2.00 p.m.
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