Pesda’s pluck earns change in their luck
CAERNARFON Rugby Club will have been less than impressed at becoming the first team to lose to Bethesda in Division One North this season last weekend.
Pesda secured their first league win of the campaign at the eighth attempt as they overcame the Cofis 14-10 at Dol Ddafydd.
The result was not a complete surprise as Pesda had been knocking at the victory door on a few occasions previously this term, but their luck had been out until the tables turned last Saturday.
Caernarfon took the lead after three minutes play through an Aled Jones penalty but Bethesda drew level from a Gethin Long kick on 10.
Long looked dangerous throughout the match gaining good ground from his side-stepping play and quality kicks.
With the Bethesda forwards in charge and the home half-backs working well, wing Gwion Williams scored a try following a period of pressure.
Long’s conversion attempt narrowly failed.
Both sets of supporters were well entertained as their teams endeavoured to run the ball on most occasions and the half finished with another Long penalty giving the home side an 11-3 lead.
Bethesda’s dominance continued in the second period with Long slotting over another penalty kick after seven minutes.
The Caernarfon players hardly got out of their own half until a shock happened after 70 minutes’ play. With Bethesda pressing on the visitors try-line, the Cofis full back Jones intercepted what looked like a scoring pass. He ran the length of the pitch to score a fine try in the corner before kicking the conversion, making the score 14-10 to set up an anxious last 10 minutes for the home supporters.
However, the home forwards managed to keep the ball for the rest of the match to secure a narrow but deserved victory that lifted Bethesda off the basement.
Caernarfon lie eighth after nine matches which have brought six defeats. This Saturday sees the Cofis face a tricky trip to Ruthin. ● Bro Ffestiniog will have been in high spirits after a 21-0 home triumph over Ruthin at Cae Dolawel.
Playing down the slope, Bro kicked off straight into touch. At the resulting scrum Ruthin were penalised, Bro boosted into touch downfield and the visitors barely got out of their own half for the next 30 minutes.
Bro scored three tries in this period through Llion Kerry, Ian Roberts and Matthew Williams, all converted by Gareth Davies.
After half an hour Ruthin at last began to get into the game. The scrum stabilised and they started to spend time in their opponents’ half, but despite their Picture: RICHARD BIRCH promising field position they were unable to score as possession was lost through poor handling and decisionmaking.
The second half was very much a mirror image of the first with Ruthin playing downhill and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, but unable to breach the Bro defence.
The Quarrymen almost grabbed a sucker punch fourth try near the end only for mishandling to let them down.