Fixture

Pwllheli RFC | 1st Team 45 - 9 Caernarfon RFC | 1st Team
Osian Jones
Try 1
Conversion 4
Penalty 1
Robin Jones
Try 2
Arwel Thomas
Try 1
Kalim Joshua Park Kelemete
Try 1
Nicholas Butterworth
Conversion 1
Ifan Roberts
Try 1
Conversion 1

Match Report
12 October 2016 / Team News

Pwllheli RFC 45 Caernarfon RFC 9

This was a match that had created a lot of interest among the supporters of both club and the attendance reflected that. Given that Caernarfon had been unbeaten this season they brought a good number of stalwart supporters who made their views known throughout the game. Conditions were ideal for rugby and the pitch was once again in top condition. Caernarfon had clearly prepared for the match. They were changed and on the pitch an hour and a half before kick off as their coaches got them ready for the start. Pwllheli were without several key players but nonetheless had prepared well for the clash. Caernarfon opened strongly. Their heavy pack took the game to Pwllheli and some astute kicking by their half backs tested the Pwllheli back three. After only five minutes the home side were deemed to be offside at a ruck and Caernarfon's fly half Guto Pierce neatly slotted the ensuing penalty. After struggling in the opening minutes Pwllheli's scrum achieved parity but again the linesout did not function as well as hoped. Though Caernarfon had a stream of quality possession their back struggled to cross the gain line and often reverted to long diagonal kicks to test Pwllheli's wingers and full back.. Fortunately for Pwllheli right wing Osian Parry Jones had a storming game on his return to first team rugby. He was safe under the high ball and effectively using his siege gun boot to respond to Caernarfon's kicks with interest.On twenty minutes Caernarfon went further ahead with another penalty by fly half Pierce. Buoyed by their success they pummelled the Pwllheli line but the well organised and committed Pwllheli defence held firm. The Lleyn side gradually came back into contention. They twice came close but the referee was unsighted and called that the ball had been held up over Caernarfon's line. The home backs looked threatening whenever they got the ball and marshalled by their experienced half backs they probed the Caernarfon cover. The visitors gave all they had and tackle after tackle saw Pwllheli thwarted. On forty five minutes the break through came. Taking the ball in their own half Pwllheli transferred the ball quickly to centre Robin Hughes Jones ,whose size belies his strength and power, and he shrugged off several would be tacklers to cut through under the posts from thirty metres. Captain Nick Butterworth slotted the conversion and the half time whistle went immediately after. Caernarfon were still confident of taking Pwllheli's scalp and they were roared on by their supporters.However before they had settled back into the game Pwllheli had scored a scintillating seventy metre try. From the kick off Pwllheli countered . They took the ball left. Quick hands and a neat grubber kick made it a footrace between the respective wings. Arwel Thomas got to the ball first to score wide out. A wonderful conversion by Osian Parry Jones suddenly put Pwllheli fourteen to six ahead. Caernarfon heads did not go down. They stormed back and earned on penalty on five minutes for Pierce to cut the deficit. Pwllheli brought in some fresh legs in the front row and Morris and Trenholme made a difference. It was now Pwllheli with the impetus.On seven minutes Pwllheli were awarded a penalty. The kick hit both posts before bouncing back into the field of play. Parry Jones atoned for his miss three minutes later when he crashed over the Caernarfon line. He converted his own try to take Pwllheli twenty one points to nine up. Caernarfon were now under the cosh as Pwllheli's backline made some searing breaks which shattered Caernarfon's defence. On twelve minutes Kalim Kelemete broke through from forty metres to touch down and Parry Jones majored the kick. Four minutes later it was Robin Hughes Jones who beat the cover and with the successful kick Pwlheli were now thirty five points to nine in the lead. On twenty minutes Pwllheli were awarded a penalty almost fifty metres out. Doing what the All Blacks would do Pwllheli Parry Jones successfully kicked at goal to further turn the screw..Second row Huw Williams was replaced by Ifan Roberts and Roberts rewarded the team with a late forty metre dash which cut open the Caernarfon cover. He slotted the conversion. Rookie referee Ed Brown then blew the whistle for full time. In only has second match as a senior referee he did well and coped with the constant stream of advice provided by both sets of supporters. Pwllheli's march into Round Two of the Swalec Plate came from a sound and well drilled defence supplemented by a set of pacy backs who work together as a team. Two good sides met at Bodegroes on Saturday but the structure of Pwllheli's game together with some excellent goal kicking was enough to see off the considerable threat posed by Caernarfon. The rest of the weekend went well for Pwllheli. In their four junior matches against neighbours Caernarfon. Pwllheli's Under 13s and Under 14s won at Pwllheli while Pwll's under 9s and 10s won their respective matches at Y Morfa. Pwllheli seconds were well beaten in Nant Conwy but Euron Jones and the lads did the Club proud by getting a team together to travel to fulfil the fixture.

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