Port still fourth after fifth win in six games
BRO Ffestiniog enjoyed a confidence-boosting 20-9 home win over Cobra in WRU Division One North.
The hosts’ head coach Edwyn Roberts had to play most of the match due to injuries before and during proceedings.
The visitors opened the scoring early on through centre Llew Williams’ penalty.
In the 14th minute Bro won a scrum against the head and No8 Dewi James strolled over for an unconverted try.
Cobra were playing well in the loose with outstanding displays from flanker Lee Hughes and No8 Jack Jukes. Bro were penalised once more for holding on and another Williams penalty put the Powys men back in front.
Both teams went close to a try before, on the half-hour, Cobra extended their lead through another Williams three-pointer.
The last play of the first half was a 22-metre penalty from Ed Roberts, and the sides went into the break with Bro trailing 9-8.
With the slight slope of Cae Dolawel with the hosts during the second period, Bro upped the pressure.
From a lineout, flanker Marc Morris’ strong run took him deep into the away half. Bro recycled quickly and Morris was involved once more, putting prop Dylan Jones through to crash over for a try converted by Roberts.
Cobra blew a great chance to respond before Bro’s third try came from an attacking scrum five.
Mathew Hayden gathered and side-stepped his way over the try line for fine solo try which went unconverted.
There was no further score but both sides had their chances.
Bro travel to Colwyn Bay this Saturday (2.30pm).
PORTHMADOG remain a handy fourth in the Huws Gray Alliance League after a Sion Bradley goal secured a 1-0 home win over Mold Alexandra last Saturday.
Although Port made it five wins in six outings they will have been disappointed with the amount of chances they missed at Y Traeth.
They could have been ahead in the first minute as Josh Davies burst clear only to send his shot past the post.
The half hour that followed was dominated by Port with Alex packing their goalmouth and battling to stay in the game.
Davies’ close-range effort was deflected for a corner, with referee Dan Fogerty waving away appeals for handball.
Bradley cut into the box, broke past one defender, but was foiled by keeper Mike Jones, who raced off his line to get a hand to the ball as the forward was about to pull the trigger.
Port were unlucky not to go ahead in the 22nd minute when Davies crossed from the byline and Cai Jones’ bullet header struck the crossbar.
With minutes of the first half remaining Port did take the lead thanks to a cool piece of play from Bradley, moving onto an excellent Cai Jones assist and steering a perfectlyplaced low shot just inside the far post.
On the stroke of half-time a great Gareth Jones Evans burst took him deep into the penalty area but keeper Jones got another block in to prevent a two-goal interval lead.
The second half continued much the same as the first, with the chances coming for the home team and not being taken.
Jones pulled off another pointblank block from Davies and a minute later repeated the feat to deny Chris Jones.
Bradley then made a good run from deep leaving defenders in his wake, bursting past the advancing Jones and looking certain to score with a tap-in, but a last-gasp defensive foot turned the ball out for a corner.
Davies looked to have settled things on 73 minutes when he blasted an Iddon Price cross goalwards only for Jones to pull off a fine save, throwing himself to his right.
In the 77th minute, at last Port looked to have got the elusive second goal when Bradley created another opportunity with his near-post cross but, from close range, Davies put his shot the wrong side of the post.
Mold now enjoyed more possession than they had throughout, but failed to threaten Richard Harvey’s goal.
New home signing Meilir Williams almost ended his substitute debut in glory as he burst clear onto a throughball, but almost inevitably Jones was off his line to cut out the goalbound shot.
With no game this Saturday, Port will have to wait a week for two home games in five days against Conwy Borough and then Holyhead Hotspur, to resume their quest to push up the table. They play Boro on February 4 and Hotspur on February 8.