Fixture

This was a match that was in doubt right until kick off as the day's deluge saturated the pitch. Fortunately the downpour lessened and the rain stopped shortly after kick off. Given the poor weather the Club and players were delighted to have a sizeable crowd watching the game. The opening minutes saw some scrappy play with the greasy wet ball leading to a series of knocks on. It soon became apparent they Bethesda would rely heavily on their experienced back. They kept the ball tight and rarely released their backs. They took the game to Pwllheli but whenever Pwllheli's backs got the ball they looked threatening. Twice they seemed to have broken the visitors cover but on each occasion the final pass was spilt. The home side had the better kicking game and eighteen minutes in a kick and chase trapped the Bethesda covering player and Pwllheli were awarded a scrum. The ball was cleanly struck and having the nudge in the set piece Pwllheli's captain and scrum half Nick Butterworth saw the gap and dashed over to score under the posts.He added his own conversion. Bethesda's heads did not drop and they again challenged the home side up front. The well drilled Pwllheli defence held firm as the visitors persisted in driving forward play which made ground but did not really threaten Pwllheli's line. Bethesda had the bulk of possession but a cutting edge was lacking. Half time came with Pwllheli holding on to their slender lead of seven points to nil. The second period opened with a try blitz by the Lleyn side. On four minutes second row Carron Jones charged down a would be clearance kick to score .The kick missed.Three minutes later wing Robin Hughes Jones took advantage of some slick speedy passing to beat the despairing cover to touch down. Again the kick drifted wide of the posts. With new Kiwi fly half Kalim Kelemete orchestrating matters it took only a two further minutes for Butterworth to score his side's fourth and bonus point try. Butterworth's conversion put his side twenty nine points up. The rampage continued with flanker Dafydd Anwyl being put in the clear and outpacing the defence to score try number fiveafter only twelve minutes. Pwllheli then brought on Harri Roberts to replace young flanker Ifan Owen who had been outstanding. Kelemete was replaced by the versatile Mathew Butterworth. The changes worked and on seventeen minutes centre John Pugh latched on to a dropped pass to outpace the cover to score under the sticks. Butterworth added the two points.To their credit Bethesda then had an excellent ten minutes when they dominated both territory and possession. Despite countless thrusts by their heavyweight pack Bethesda could not penetrate Pwllheli's stout defence. Inevitably perhaps Pwllheli soaked up the pressure and on thirty six minutes they broke from deep.Clever inter-passing saw them outflank Betheda's retreating players and it was John Pugh again who crashed over. Pugh converted his own try. Three minutes later a classic play by Pwllheli left the opposition floundering as number eight Tom Parry scored his side's eighth and final try.He too converted his own touch down. The whistle went moments later. This was an encouraging win for Pwllheli. Bethesda were stauncher opponents than the score suggests.They have key players returning to the fray soon and they will only get better. Pwllheli now have a stable squad and more strength in depth than they have had for many years. Coaches and players do however accept that much more work is needed if they are to sustain a challenge for league honours this season. Pwllheli Youths beat Bethesda Youths by ten points to nil in a friendly match that was hastily organised after Denbigh Youths postponed the scheduled league fixture as they were unable to raise a team. Pwlheli are away to Nant Conwy on Saturday.