Powerful pack test leaders to limit

BETHESDA’S powerful pack served them well in a narrow 14-6 defeat at Division One North leaders Nant Conwy.

Pesda were caned 34-5 at home by Nant earlier in the campaign, but last Saturday’s battle was much closer.

The Ogwen Valley side really turned the screw in the first half and led 6-0 at the break, only for the tabletoppers to seal the win with two second-stanza converted tries.

Nant edged 15 points clear at the summit as a result.

It was an 11th straight league victory for the Conwy Valley side, but for the second weekend running they had to be content with missing out on a bonus point.

For the first 10 minutes, Bethesda with their strong pack were in complete control. It took Nant a quarter of an hour to have any impact on the game.

It was Pesda who scored the first points through a penalty by Ian Owen.

Five minutes later, they went further ahead with a superb drop goal off the boot of fly-half Carwyn Williams after they won another set scrum.

This set the tone for Nant to defend ferociously for the remainder of the half.

But the hosts did have three or four good attacking moves towards the end of the session, which ended 6-0 to the visitors.

Nant emerged for the second half full of good intentions and, after three quick attacks, the match’s first try arrived.

The Bethesda forwards failed to stop scrum-half Cai Jones from crossing the whitewash.

Arthur Lennon converted so Nant went ahead for the first time.

The pressure on the Pesda line continued and the second try arrived after a slick back-line move that ended with centre and captain Ifan Lloyd Jones dotting the ball down, Lennon adding the extras.

As it turned out, this was the last score of the match but, in fairness to Bethesda, they continued to battle hard through their forwards.

Nant settled into a pattern of high-tempo tackling and keeping the ball as tight as possible.