Caernarfon 13
Nant Conwy 12
SUPPORTERS enjoyed one of the best Division One North encounters in many years, as the title contenders provided a nail-biter.
Caernarfon were gifted an early penalty opportunity from an obstruction at kick off but the ball drifted wide. Soon good ball retention by Nant Conwy led to pressure on the Cofi line, but the defence was very well marshalled.
Playing downhill, the home side stretched Nant’s defence with good offloads and direct running, while their scrum, with young Jack Matthews punching well above his weight, was an added bonus.
After a series of up field thrusts, scrum half Trystan Gwilym found Paul Williams with a quick penalty, and the second row barged over wide of the uprights.
Kelvin Morris duly added a fine conversion.
To Nant’s credit, their defence held firm with the visitors’ penalty count rising, it was not a surprise when Kelvin Morris added another three pointer.
Lively at scrum Ifan Jones half took a quick tap from within his own half and set off on a run that was only halted yards short.
Experienced centre Emrys Evans managed to crash over for Nant on 34 minutes.
However, Gareth Jones then caught the Cofis cold with a quick tap and ploughed a furrow to the whitewash.
Carwyn ap Myrddin duly added a simple conversion to give Nant a 12 – 10 half time lead.
An illegal shoulder charge on the rushing centres on 50 minutes allowed Kelvin Morris to slot over a penalty, which awarded the lead to the Cofis.
With Caernarfon longing for the final whistle and failing to find touch, an effective drive by Nant handed one final penalty effort at the death, but Carwyn ap Myrddin’s effort went wide.
Ieuan Jones’ men, who are three points ahead of Nant in the title race, face struggling Llangefni away on Saturday.
Bangor 8
Menai Bridge 26
BANGOR are yet to win a league game this season, but looked like producing a surprise result in their Division Three clash with Menai Bridge.
The home side led 8 – 7 at the break but ran out of steam in the second half. They had most of the possession and territory in the first period, but Menai Bridge held out for 35 minutes and grabbed a try in their first visit into Bangor’s half.
The visitors produced a good attack, culminating with a score for veteran forward Frank Rushton, converted by outside half Iwan Roberts.
Bangor recovered and their centre, also called Iwan Roberts, crossed for an unconverted try.
Soon after Bangor’s outside half Darren Brace, back from a long period of injury, put them ahead with a penalty.
The second half proved a stalemate for the first 10 minutes and Brace came close with a penalty that just dropped under the cross bar.
Bangor seemed to suffer from the loss of Captain Wil Withey by way of a front row injury, and their scrums and lineouts became ever more ragged
Menai Bridge regained the lead when Bangor lost a disrupted scrum, and Bridge got the ball to outside centre David Williams for the try, which Roberts converted.
Although Bangor tackled well, the pressure told and yielded a penalty, which led to a scrum that was again disrupted, allowing number eight Gareth Parry over for an unconverted try.
The last try came in injury time when Jack Owens mauled his way over in the corner for Menai Bridge, and Roberts added a touch line conversion to end the game.
Bangor face Rhos on Saturday, while Menai Bridge travel to Shotton Steel.
Both fixtures kick off at 2.30pm.