Clwb Rygbi Abergele

SWALEC PLATE 2011-2012 - ROUND 4
Abertillery B G 13 v Builth Wells 23
Bethesda 40 v Nelson 3
Crymych 10 v Ystrad Rhondda 12
Cwmllynfell v Glynneath - postponed
Dunvant 24 v Nant Conwy 30
Maesteg Quins v Kidwelly - postponed
Senghenydd v Penallta - postponed
Skewen 22 v Pontypool United 26

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Nant Match Report - www.nwru.co.uk

On a pitch that was extremely wet on the surface at 1.00 p.m. but completely dry at 4.00 p.m. and had a deceptive slope between both sets of posts, both teams took advantage of the strong breeze blowing down the ‘slope’. Right from the kick-off, the Nant pack gained the ball and supplied Ifan (scrum half) with a quick ball and he split the home defence beautifully to touch down beneath the posts. Carwyn ap (no’ 15) converted.

Seven minutes later, Captain and loose head prop, Elgan touched down for a try in his third consecutive match with Carwyn ap again converting from wide out. Only a quarter of an hour had elapsed when Carwyn ap took advantage of the wind and converted his first penalty from a distance that was not far from the half way line..

With the pack still in ascendency, both half backs interchanged passes to allow Owain (fly half) to cross and touch down for a try that was converted by Carwyn ap again. With the last kick of the half, Carwyn ap maintained his 100% kicking record to convert another penalty from distance to create a half time score of 0 – 27. The Dunvant crowd were muted as their team had not lost a home match this season.

Two minutes of the second half had gone when the home side opened their account with a good penalty converted by the full back, Adam Williams. But, Carwyn ap replied against the breeze two minutes later with another successful penalty kick.

The home side scored their first try after 12 minutes play when full back Williams won the race for a try in the corner. His good attempt at converting his own try was a successful one. With the Dunvant pack now coming more to the game as they played down the slope with the wind, the home side’s experienced scrum half, James Richards, gathered the ball from the base of a ruck and darted over the line – a try that was again converted by the home full back, Williams.

For the last 20 minutes of play, Dunvant brought on three tall and experienced forwards as substitutes but their third try did not arrive until7 minutes before the final whistle when centre, Danny Davies broke over the line to touch down. Full back, Williams converted to set up a tense finish to the match. As it turned out, that was the last occasion the Dunvant players touched the ball as the Nant forwards kept complete control of the ball in the ‘Munster’ fashion for the entire 7 minutes to make a final score of 24 – 30 in a memorable match for Nant Conwy. (After the match, the Referee commented that this was about the best bit of ‘tight’ forward play that he had witnessed for many a season)!

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SWALEC BOWL 2011-2012 - ROUND 5
Amman United 28 v Gowerton 0
Barry 5 v Caerleon 27
Cardiff Quins 18 v Talywain 25
COBRA 14 v Tycroes 22
Dolgellau 25 v Milford Haven 22
Glyncorrwg 9 v Glyncoch 13
Hafodyrynys 10 v New Tredegar 11
Resolven v Treherbert - postponed

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Dolgellau Match Report - www.nwru.co.uk

Dolgellau 25 v Milford Haven 22

The result of this gripping tie was in the balance until the very last move of the game and could well have gone either way. In fact, neither side deserved to lose but, from a partisan point of view, it was encouraging that a North Wales team could more than hold its own against a decent team from West Wales.

Dolgellau played the opening half with a gusting wind on their backs and made good use of the advantages proffered by the elements. Although Milford had what seemed a weight advantage amongst the forwards and backs, it was the home team that looked the sharper in the opening half-hour as they moved the ball around in impressive fashion. Overnight rain had made the pitch very heavy but it didn’t seem to hamper the hosts, especially in the first half, whilst the bulkier visitors tended to get bogged down in the mud.

Dolgellau were three points to the good within a few minutes of the kick-off as the visitors were penalised for wandering offside in midfield. This allowed home full-back Dion Jones to convert an easy penalty from thirty metres out, directly in front of the posts. Dolgellau maintained the momentum and had soon added to their advantage as a good passing movement saw the ball reach left-wing Tristan Evans. He cantered in from fifteen metres to score a good try, breaking through several tackles in the process. Although the conversion attempt was unsuccessful, Dolgellau had established an eight point lead and seemed comfortably in control of the game.

The visitors huffed and puffed but found it difficult to gain good attacking positions, playing, as they were, into the strong wind and occasional squally shower. A poor clearance kick by the visitors saw the ball reach Ian Jones-Morris on the right-wing. He in turn exchanged a couple of slick passes with outside-half Owain Thomas, allowing Jones-Morris to sprint up the touchline. His considerable pace allowed him to beat the cover-defence before grounding the ball for a try, immediately behind the posts, thus making the conversion a formality for Dion Jones. As the interval was reached, the fifteen–nil score line seemed comfortable enough for the hosts, especially as the wind had eased somewhat by this stage.

However, within minutes of the restart, Llion Pugh, the very effective Dolgellau number eight, was yellow-carded, seemingly for preventing quick release of the ball at a ruck. This put the hosts under unnecessary pressure and caused a degree of panic in the ranks. A number of attempted clearance kicks were charged down by the visitors – indeed, their first try stemmed from such an incident. Geraint Evans, the Dolgellau hooker, found himself with the ball in an isolated position, some ten metres from his own try line. His attempt at a clearing kick was charged down by Milford’s six foot four inch tall second row, Gareth Fawcett, who managed to dribble the ball over the line to score a deserved try for his team. Although the conversion was missed, Milford were soon back on the attack, their favoured move being the crash ball to their strongly-built centres.

Within a few minutes they had doubled their try tally when centre Ian Rusnick powered over to the left of the posts. The conversion by full-back, Leigh Broome, was successful, making the score 20-12. The Dolgellau full-back Dion Jones was yellow-carded at this stage, apparently for speaking out of turn to the referee. A Leigh Broome penalty soon followed and brought the visitors within five points of the hosts and an interesting final ten minutes beckoned.

Milford sensed that the game was within their grasp and piled forwards towards the Dolgellau try-line. The hosts` efforts were further hampered when experienced number eight, was Dewi Thomas, was yellow-carded for a deliberate infringement. This led to the Dolgellau scrum coming under considerable pressure and, as it back-tracked, the referee ran under the posts and awarded a penalty try. The conversion by Broome gave the visitors what seemed a slender but winning advantage.

However, the Dolgellau forwards were determined to have the last word and with a minute or so remaining they advanced to within a few metres of the Milford try-line. The hefty props tried in turn to use their strength and weight to breech the Milford defences but eventually it was number eight, Llion Pugh who burrowed over for the all-important try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but it hardly mattered as it was the final action in what had been a pulsatingly-exciting tie between two well-matched teams. Llion Pugh was awarded the Man of the Match accolade for his impressive ball-carrying and his ability to cross the gain line.

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North Wales Division Three
Harlech vs Bangor - postponed
Holyhead 12 vs Llangollen 37
Menai Bridge 21 vs Flint 22
Shotton Steel 26 vs Benllech 3

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North Wales Senior Cup
Bro Ffestiniog v Rhyl - postponed (waterlogged pitch)

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North Wales Senior Plate
Llanidloes 20 v Mold 15
Pwllheli v Colwyn Bay - w/o Colwyn Bay concede

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North Wales Intermediate Cup
Abergele 20 v Newtown 10

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