Fixture

Bethesda RFC | 1st Team 31 - 36 Pwllheli RFC | 1st Team
Osian Jones
2 Conversion
4 Penalty
Deio Llwyd Brunelli
1 Try
Dafydd Anwyl Williams
1 Try
Geraint Parry
1 Try
Huw Owen Williams
1 Try

Match Report
25 April 2016 / Team News

Bethesda RFC 31 Pwllheli RFC 36

This match was the first of five consecutive away matches for the Lleyn side. Pitch conditions were excellent. It was dry but with a chill in the air.Once again Pwllheli's faithful supporters outnumbered the home side and they made their voices heard to encourage their team.

 

Pwllheli started with the wind at their backs and took the game to Bethesda. With only three minutes on the clock Pwllheli went ahead with an Osian Parry Jones penalty. Within two minutes the talent that is Mathew Parry put the home side in the lead as he outpaced Pwllheli's cover to score a dazzling individual try. It was clear that Bethesda's team were giving their all and the game became on uncompromising tussle. At the end of the first quarter Bethesda had a player yellow carded for abusing the referee and Pwllheli took full advantage of the indiscipline. On twenty five minutes lock Geraint Parry touched down after a series of driving mauls.The conversion attempted drifted wide. 

 

Bethesda used an effective kicking game to turn Pwllheli's defence but on thirty four minutes a loose kick ahead by Bethesda was gathered at pace by Pwllheli's fly half John Pugh. He cut inside the advancing Bethesda cover before releasing centre Deio Brunelli fifty metres out. Brunelli burst through two would be tackles which took him beyond the despairing Bethesda back line to score wide out . Again the kick missed but the visitors were now fifteen points to five ahead. 

 

The cut and thrust continued and on thirty eight minutes Bethesda were awarded a scrum deep in Pwllheli's twenty  two when  the visitors failed to clear their lines. Unusually lax defence allowed scrum half Arwyn Griffith to crash through  for his team's second try. Mathew Parry added the two points.The match fortunes continued to swing and Pwllheli had the last say of the half with a penalty from Osian P.Jones on forty one minutes.

 

Half time Bethesda 12 - Pwllheli 18.

 

The opening minutes of the second half replicated the first. An early penalty by Osian P.Jones cancelled out by another try from Mathew Pary which the fly half converted himself. The game ebbed and flowed with neither side getting ascendancy. In contrast to recent matches Pwllheli's line out was solid whereas the scrum came under some pressure as the match progressed. Defences dominated and it took a breakaway try from the home side to break the deadlock.Making ground on the left Bethesda pierced Pwllheli's cover for Rhys Morris to score and give his side the lead. Mathew Parry's conversion put them twenty six to twenty one  ahead - much to the jubilation of the home supporters.

 

Pwllheli rallied and with Elgan Davies galvanising the pack and lock Huw Williams outstanding again Pwllheli made ground. With Dafydd Anwyl reverting to his usual back row position Pwllheli set up a rolling maul fifteen metres out. Try as they might Bethesda could not halt the drive and Anwyl touched down  tied the scores at twenty six points each with his team's third try. The conversion missed.The match become increasingly punctuated  by a series of injuries . It was now Pwllheli's turn for territorial domination. An almost inevitable penalty ensued as Bethesda killed the ball in a ruck. On forty two minutes Osian P.Jones kicked an impressive forty five metre penalty to give his side a three point lead. Bethesda then conjured up a wonderful long range try. Breaking on the right they outflanked the Pwllheli defence to score wide out. The conversion attempt missed.

 

The referee called two minutes to play. Pwllheli kept their composure.An astute kick ahead put Bethesda under pressure. Pwllheli regathered the ball and kept the ball tight. The game seemed to go into slow motion as their inexorable drive inched towards the try line. It was fitting that it was lock  Huw Williams who scored the try that earned his team a win plus the key try bonus point. Osian P.Jones added an excellent conversion. This was the last act of an enthralling match.

 

This match had everything. It would have been an positive and appropriate advert for everything that is good about rugby. Of course it was tough but it was never dirty. The referee had some tough calls to make but he generally got his calls right. Referees know they will never please all the people all the time but without them there would be no game.

 

For Pwllheli's players,coaches and supporters the improbable became a little more possible after this win  against a committed and resilient Bethesda team. The home side played some fluid fast rugby but Pwllheli ground out a memorable win.

 

Pwllheli have two games this week. They travel to Dolgellau on Wednesday for an evening kick off before making the long trek to Mold on Saturday. There will be a team coach for the Mold match. Contact any Club official to book your place.

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