This North Wales League and Conwy Land Rover North Wales Cup double header was a tense affair from start to finish with the tenacious Bala outfit fully deserving of their thirteen point margin of victory. Caernarfon could claim to have had the ascendancy as regards possession and territory but only on one solitary occasion did the visiting defence yield, having gained superiority at scrum time and at the breakdown area.

Bala opened brightly, keeping possession well and the pressure told when after ten minutes Owain Aled slotted over a penalty after the scrum had been wheeled. Iolo Hughes and Adam Thomas responded on behalf of the Cofis but the defence could not be breached. Prop Thomas Gwynfaes also led the impressive tackling count during this early period.

Bala centre Ilan Jones then showed a terrific turn of pace on two occasions to bemuse the home defence, the second break leading to the field position whereby slick passing by second row Robin Owen led to prop Alwyn Dylan plough over in the corner to record his first ever Bala senior team try after twenty minutes.

The Cofis were given something to cheer when Dafydd Lloyd Williams broke through midfield and was able to feed wing Iolo Hughes who scarpered clear to score out wide just before the half hour mark. The remaining minutes saw both sides strive for ascendancy but play became scrappy with little composure evident, although Bala could probably have secured a confident cushion had not a crossing call denied them a try near the posts. They did however gain three points from the boot of Owain Aled when a ball was adjudged to have been kicked from a ruck and held on manfully when Iolo Hughes again attempted to force his way over at the last play of the first period.

The Cofis were facing the slope in the second forty and their task became more difficult as Bala pressed forward from the off. Constant pressure finally brought reward when a good offload brought fullback Miall Roberts onto the ball at pace and at an angle that split the static defence to score a fine individual try that was duly converted by Owain Aled to form a not insurmountable thirteen point cushion.

The Cofis rose to the challenge for a brief period following the setback but were met by very stubborn resistance in both tight and open play. Liam Leung carried well and others attempted manfully to cross the gain line. Seeing Bala stalwart Ilan Rowlands leave the field could well have raised Cofi hopes but the likes of Iestyn Dylan immediately stepped up to the mark to help form a watertight rearguard. When the Cofis finally crossed the try line the melee that then ensued prevented grounding and any hopes of a Cofi revival was duly extinguished.

A number of players could have been presented with the Conwy Land Rover man of the match accolade, but for the most creative and impressive gain line breaks and metres gained during the match, it was rightly handed to Bala centre Ilan Jones.