Llangefni target six wins on the bounce
LLANGEFNI Rugby Club will look to make it six wins in a row in Division One North when they host Llandudno at Cae Smyrna this Saturday (2.30pm).
Cefni stretched their victorious streak with a 13-6 success at Caernarfon last weekend. It was another superb cohesive team effort from the islanders.
With the icy blustery wind at their backs in the first half, the Moniars went in 13-3 up at the break.
Not many present deemed it a winning lead, and a home onslaught was expected. However, Cefni’s relentless carrying game and ability to keep possession through countless phases, meant the Cofis spent very little time in the away 22 in the second half.
Llangefni set out their stall early on, as they used the pack to punch holes in the home defence. The Cofis were indebted to their 15, Aled Jones, for some fine clearance kicks early doors.
The visitors took the lead on 10 minutes when Greg Horsman made no mistake in front of the posts.
The Castlemen were eager to move the ball, and Carwyn Roberts put his outside backs into the gaps in the first quarter.
One long pass allowed speedster Dylan Owen to sprint into the Cefni 22. Llangefni’s scramble defence was up to the challenge, but the Cofis were soon level after an excellent Jones penalty from all of 40 metres.
Mark Gray`s clever dink hit the grass, allowing Cefni to regather possession and win a penalty which Horsman converted.
As the Cefni pack were winning more and more collisions, they moved the ball wider. From one such move, Gethin Andrews was released on a fine run into the home 22. The attack fizzled out as the Cofis won one of their numerous first half turnovers at the tackle area.
However, when another flowing away attack ended in a turnover, the hosts got careless.
They moved the ball slowly, allowing opposition centre Iwan Humphreys the chance to intercept and quickly feed his co-centre Richard Foulkes, who went on a scything 30-metre run to the posts.
Easy extras for Horsman and that 13-3 half time score.
Things looked ominous for Cefni in the opening exchanges of the second period, as Roberts put in some tellingly long touch-finders.
However, his outside backs were being pressured into handling errors by Moniars`impressive line speed.
Nevertheless, the Cofi deficit was soon reduced to seven points after Jones’ second penalty.
A Caernarfon break from their own half led to a difficult five-metre defensive line out for Cefni.
It worked well, and their driving maul led to a home infringement.
Cefni were up to halfway, and managed to stay in the home half for large chunks of the second period as their driving forward play, the pick and go, interspersed with periods of attacking wide on the flanks, allowed them to keep the ball from the opposition for long spells.
Caernarfon’s pack could not match the Moniars’ eight in the loose, and Cefni showed no sign of fading as the game drew to a close.