Vital win for Cofis in battle to avoid the drop
CAERNARFON Rugby Club boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation from Division One North with a vital and deserved 31-22 victory at Bro Ffestiniog last Saturday.
Cofis stand-off Aled Jones was a thorn in Bro’s side throughout by consistently gaining valuable meters when putting boot to ball to relieve pressure and by so doing often giving the visitors a platform to attack from.
Within the first 10 minutes such an acquired foothold in the danger zone led to Iolo Hughes opting to chip through and win the chase to score between the sticks. Jones added the extras.
Huw James slotted a penalty for Bro, but Caernarfon soon extended their lead when lineout ball was spread wide and wing Dylan Gwyn outfoxed numerous defenders and far too easily wriggled free to sprint in and score. Jones converted from an acute angle.
A 60-yard Huw James touch finder towards the end of the first half lifted home spirits and when a penalty was awarded for illegally preventing a rolling maul Bro opted for a set scrum to assert further pressure.
The customary solid Ffestiniog platform provided a quick pop pass to onrushing centre Marc Morris, whose angled run caused enough confusion within Cofi ranks to grant him a deserved fivepointer. James’ kick added two more points to reduce the deficit to 14-10.
However, there remained enough time for a Bro transgression to necessitate the issuing of a yellow card and further punishment when Jones duly dispatched the resultant penalty.
The Cofis had the aid of the slope during the second half and soon added to their tally when No8 Mac Jones gathered and burst through numerous tackles to free himself before sprinting clear to score, Jones again boosting with the boot.
Speedster Dylan Gwyn then ran in unchallenged and with yet another Jones postssplitter, the visitors were 31-10 ahead entering the final half-hour.
To their credit Bro fought back manfully using their heavier pack to good effect.
After a series of drives, Tom James was at hand to plough over, Huw James adding an angled conversion to raise the spirits of the home supporters.
It was then that a few rash individual decisions denied Bro promising attacking platforms and allowed the Cofis to clear their lines with relative ease.
The reduction of the Cofi squad following the issue of another yellow card raised Bro’s hopes and with 10 minutes remaining Tom James scored another try, but that was as close as the Quarrymen got.