Thanks to all the clubs who have kindly sent in their match reports, it's been a great response again this weekend
Colwyn Bay 5 v Llandudno 29
Llandudno's determination to return to division one after being relegated last season continued at Colwyn Bay on Saturday as they took maximum points in the local derby cash with neighbours Colwyn Bay.
The Bay players and supporter must have feared the worst when the visitors opened up a 22 point gap with 35 minutes remaining but the Bay defence refused to buckle and held firm until the dying minutes.
The visitors led by 15-0 at the break thanks to tries from wing Steven Lester and centre George Thomas one of which was converted by outside half Luke Jones who also kicked a penalty. Llandudno increased their lead within minutes of the restart with a push over try for flanker David Davies again converted by outside half Jones.
The Bay half firm in defence as the visitors pressed for the fourth try and a bonus point and were eventually rewarded when replacement wing Davin Jones (confirmed as Davin) rounded off a following backs movement with a try wide out in the eightieth minute.
Llandudno stormed back into the bay half from the restart and flanker David Davies crossed for his second try of the game to seal the bonus point with outside half Jones adding the conversion with the last kick of the game.
*****
Bethesda 8 v 44 Pwllheli
(h/t 3 - 34)
Pwllheli opened the scoring after only two minutes of this match through a try from outside half John Pugh and a conversion from scrum half Nic Butterworth and continued to play attractive non-stop running rugby throughout the first half.
Mathew Parry managed a penalty from an offside decision early on but Butterworth replied with a similar three pointer minutes later. Hooker Kevin Morris was next on the score card when Pugh attacked with an excellent clearance cross kick. From the resultant line out fifteen metres into the home team half, the Pwllheli pack pushed their opponents all the way to the try line allowing Morris to drop on the ball to score his first try of the season.
On thirty minutes, Pugh saw a gap in mid-field and beat the cover to score between the posts for a simple conversion by his half back partner. Four minutes later, Butterworth similarly ended his run underneath the posts and converted his own try.
In injury time, Morris side stepped a tackle and beat the cover to score his second try wide out. The conversion was not successful but the half time score stood at 34-3 to the visiting team.
The second half was a totally different game. What was said to the home team players at half time worked wonders and transformed their comittment and resolve. Daniel Ogwen threaded his way over the try line wide out after only three minutes and his team put pressure on the visitors throughout the half and came within inches of scoring a try on several occasions.
But the Pwllheli defensive line held firm and at times themselves put pressure on Bethesda. A punt from mid-field produced the next score for the visitors when centre Deio Brunelli was first to react and quickest to pounce on the ball for a try near the posts. The conversion was sucesful and Butterworth also kicked a dificuilt penalty a few minutes later to increase his personal tally to 19 match points.
An excellent match for Pwllheli who survived two front-row yellow cards for technical offences in the second half and still managed to restrict the Dol Dafydd team to one penalty and one try despite all their efforts.
Gwynedd League
Bethesda could not field a team to play the second team game which was due to be played at Bodegroes last Saturday afternoon.
North Wales Youth Cup
Rhyl Youths 22 - 5 Pwllheli Youths
*****
Newtown 44 v Bangor 0
It was another convincing home win for Newtown as a rampant display was rewarded with a seven try victory over visitors Bangor.
Match Report courtesy of Mark Jones
http://www.mark-jones.me.uk/magical-meek-masters-town-victory/
The home side never looked like losing hold of the game, with quick breaks and fast paced play from the backs being the forefront of Town’s game.
Bangor were on the back foot from the first whistle, and conceded three points early on courtesy of Town full back Chris Jones’ penalty. The away side’s chances of getting back into the game took a turn for the worst, as they were down to 14 men following flanker Tudor’s yellow card.
It wasn’t long before Newtown made the most of their one man advantage as they used an overlap in the backline to score their first try of the match, through wing Ashley Evans.
Good runs were continuing to be made by Town and they got their deserved second try on the stroke of half time, a fantastic dummy from fly half Rowan Meek sent him through for a try under the posts, converted by full back Jones.
The second 40 told the same story as the first, as Newtown continued to control the game. It wasn’t long before another five points came Town’s way, with a quick tap from flanker Nathan Owen resulting in the third try of the match. Centre Joe Murray soon increased his side’s advantage with the fourth, after great footwork to beat the last defender.
Murray then showed great skills with the ball in hand to set up teammate Owain Thomas to score, with the game already in the bag for Town.
Another great dummy from Meek allowed the fly half to jog over the line for yet another score, which was easily converted by Jones.
Junior Dean finished off the rout minutes from time after a good pass from Jones sent him clear down the left flank, and there was no stopping the winger as he earned the home side another seven points with the conversion from Evans, to wrap up what was a very assured display for Newtown.
Newtown: G Lloyd, M Land, J Jones, J Blower, N Heywood, P Morgan, N Owen, A Marriot, J Harris, R Meek, A Evans, J Murray, R Andrews, J Dean, C Jones. Reps – G Kelly, D Price, B Lloyd, O Thomas.
*****
Mold 18 v Caernarfon 26
Caernarfon’s margin of victory in this Swalec league encounter was far in excess of the one point margin ensured a week previously in the Plate competition but the overall performance was generally similar.
Mold came out of the blocks quickly with the flankers break causing confusion in the Cofi defence. An offside call granted wing Luke Jones the opening score with a well-struck penalty.
The Cofis soon responded, forcing Mold into mistakes and pinning them in their own twenty-two. Yet another kickable penalty was quickly taken by tireless flanker Gwilym Jones who charged towards the try line. On being halted just short, Mathew Bohana took up the battering ram role but it was prop Joe Simpson who split the defence to score from ten meters.
With the Cofis believing that they could add to their tally they were soon reminded of the Mold threat when tight head prop Ollie Hughes drifted through the hapless defence and sprinted the further thirty meters to score a try many a centre would have been proud of. Luke Jones added the conversion to grant Mold a five-point advantage.
Good recycling and driving play by Dafydd Roberts and Dylan Parry brought the Cofis to within inches of the try line and the front row theme continued when prop Rhobat John leap over would be defenders with ball in and to ground with aplomb. Fly half Mathew Thomas struck a fine touchline conversion to edge the Cofis ahead.
Caernarfon then enjoyed their best period of the game with Rhys Evans and Joe Simpson prominent in driving out of defence. Such surges granted the Cofis two further kickable penalties and in form Mathew Thomas duly added the six points before half time.
The Cofis were expected to consolidate their superiority during the second half and things began well when Trystan Gwilym snapped up a lost ball at a scrum. His blindside dart wrong footed the defence and with Dafydd Roberts as a link Iolo Hughes was freed to speed the thirty meters required to ground out wide. Sadly the trickle of points didn’t materialise despite the dominance of Sion Gwyn at the line out.
Mold to their credit rallied well with wing Luke Jones and full back Tom Webb counter attacking dangerously with ball in hand. One Jones attack resulted in a midfield offside call and he bisected the posts to claw Mold back to within ten points. Numerous forced changes disrupted the Cofi flow to an extent and when a spell of pressure could have possibly resulted in a bonus point try it was the sure boot of Mathew Thomas that was elected to add to the points tally.
Mold however still probed and were rewarded with six minutes remaining when a sustained period of pressure finally saw fly half Mathew Condren break through to score close to the posts Had the conversion been successful the final few minutes could have been testing for the Cofis but as two scores were required the challenge proved beyond their means.
International duties afford a free Saturday next week before the second half of the season kicks off with a home tie against Pwllheli a week later.
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