Caernarfon v cobra

Cobra travelled to Caernarfon hoping to bounce back from last weeks defeat to Ruthin. Unfortunately, after conceding a number of points early on at Cae Morfa, Cobra left themselves facing an uphill task; literally!!

The sloping pitch proved to be a decisive feature of the match with both sides scoring the majority of their points when running down the hill.

Caernarfon started the game with the slope on their side. The hosts started brightly and found themselves running away with the match with a number of the visiting players' minds still on the bus! A solid defence had been at the forefront of both Cobra performances so far this season; however, it was a different story early on at Cae Morfa.

With a vocal home support and gravity on their side, the hosts found themselves camped in Cobra territory for the majority of the opening 40 minutes.

With a number of players unavailable through injury and other commitments, and a few players playing in unfamiliar positions, Cobra struggled to match the home sides energy and organisation. The unavailability of 5 first team hookers proved costly as both the scrum and lineout struggled to function throughout the 80 minutes.

4 quick fire tries and a couple of penalties gave Caernarfon a handsome 30-6 lead at half time.

Knowing that they had played so poorly in the opening 40 and that their place in the side was at stake, Cobra players took 10 minutes to gather their thoughts and regain their energy.

The opening 10 minutes of the second half was very much the same story as the first. Caernarfon went wide from a scrum and a slip in the Cobra defence gifted the homeside another try.

On the wrong side of a 35-6 score line and with only around 20 minutes or so left on the clock, Cobra boys knew that there was nothing to loose and that they had to regain some pride.

Aled (Albi) Roberts was the first test the home sides defence. The rampaging prop, who had received a late call up to the side, gathered the ball 5 metres from the Caernarfon line and was met head on by the Caernarfon tighthead. The collision was like two male rhinos meeting face to face in a dark alley. Neither wanted to take a backward step but unfortunately it was the homes sides RGC based prop who came out on top on that occasion.

Cobra began to play without fear- throwing passes wide and offloading in the tackle. Alwyn Williams spotted a gap in the Caernarfon defence, pinned his ears back and headed towards the line. The scrum half was stopped just short; however, he managed to pop the ball out to Sion Wyn Williams to flop over the line.

The next to cross the whitewash was Jack Jukes. Cobra, now taking the quick tap at every opportunity hammered away at the home sides defence. The ball was passed out to Llew Williams who then found the rangy Jukes in midfield. The young number 8 broke through 2 or 3 tackles and dived over the line.

With the home crowd now silent and Cobra full of confidence the score board began to look half respectable.

Cobra's attacks were now relentless. Hywel Jones and Steven Isaac hammered away at the Caernarfon defence and with quick ball at his feet, Alwyn Williams sniped and dived his way over the whitewash.

Sion Wyn Williams then celebrated his 5th try in 3 matches. Richard Jones gathered the ball in his own half and punted the ball downfield. With no one at home for the home side it was now a footrace between Williams and the Caernarfon winger. There was only going to be one winner and that was the Cobra winger, who dived on the ball just before it went over the dead ball line.

The score board, much to the shock of everyone at Cae Morfa now read Caernarfon 35 Cobra 32.

Cobra players sensed victory and were ready to receive the kick off from Caernarfon. Steven Isaac gathered the ball safely and headed straight towards the Caernarfon pack. In the ruck that then formed, the referee spotted an infringement that bemused both Cobra players and coaches alike . Caernarfon managed to keep the ball in Cobra territory for the next few minutes and broke Cobra hearts when they scored their sixth try of the afternoon and robbed the Cobra boys of their loosing bonus point.

After the conversion, the referee signalled the end of the match.

Cobra players stood with their head in their hands. Despite going home with a 4 try bonus point in the bag, the travelling players knew that the chance for a victory, draw or loosing bonus point had been missed.

The game really was a game of two halves. Cobra will now hope that they can show the team spirit, togetherness and fearlessness that they showed in the second half in the full 80 minutes of their next fixture.

Cobra- 1. Aled Roberts, 2 Hywel Jones, 3 Steven Isaac, 4. Edward Davies, 5. Bryn Edwards, 6. Richard Rees, 7. Aled Humphreys, 8. Jack Jukes, 9. Alwyn Williams, 10. Llew Williams, 11. Lloyd Mayor, 12. Andrew Pryce, 13. Frazer Roberts, 14. Sion Wyn Williams, 15. Richard Jones

replacements- 16. Chris Robson, 17. Ieuan Williams, 18. Matt Griffiths, 19. Tom Hillidge.