Bridge edge tense derby against Cefni

MENAI Bridge edged out Llangefni seconds 20-19 in a hotly contested local derby, which went down to the wire, as Bridge hung on for their bonus point win when Cefni laid siege to their line in the dying minutes of the game.

The first 15 minutes was all Cefni and they raced into a 12-0 lead.

The forward pack did the damage in loose play, as every member carried strongly and with no little pace early doors.

A well-timed pass to prop Dilwyn Morris saw him burst through tackles to run in from 15 metres, 5-0 after 4 minutes.

Cefni overdid the battering ram game at this stage, neglected their backs and thus had to wait another 10 minutes for their 2nd score.

It came via a fast moving rolling maul and captain Gareth Roberts claimed the touchdown and Iwan Davies added the extras for 12-0.

When a Cefni attack broke down in the Bridge 22, the visitors stormed upfield and bagged a try via Pat Roberts, on their first visit to the Cefni 22 to make the score 12-5.

Davies then sent a superb 50 metre kick to within five metres of the line.

However, Bridge exited well, and a flowing attack led to David Williams racing over from 40 metres. 12-10.

The turnaround was complete just before the interval, when the Bridge nine was able to launch an attack off a dominant scrum down the left flank.

Some fine Bridge interpassing coupled with some indifferent Cefni tackling, led to a try for Eds Williams and Bridge led 15-12 at the break.

When Bridge had a forward carded Cefni failed to take advantage.

They were too often guilty of playing too much rugby in the wrong areas.

They were punished when Bridge’s livewire number nine Logan Jones, intercepted a loose Cefni pass in their 22, and ran in unopposed to make the score 20-12.

Cefni were certainly not finished and veteran Dylan Ffransis came on and made a lot of metres in a short time.

They drove a maul from a 10 metre line out, Paul Owen surged for the line and when the ball was recycled, Morris popped up again to run in for his second try. Davies’s kick made it a one-point game. Cefni had the field position to snatch it at the death, but lacked the accuracy and patience to turn the pressure into points and Bridge hung on.