Rugby

Pwllheli earn welcome home win

Swalec Division One North

Pwllheli 39

Llandudno 7

PWLLHELI showed plenty of fighting spirit as they battled their way back to claim a welcome home verdict in the Swalec Division One North against Llandudno.
This encounter was played in perfect conditions for rugby, with a firm pitch and no wind. However, both teams had not played since January, and it showed.
Llandudno travelled with a much-changed backline from the side which lost heavily at Llandudno earlier in the season, and they squared up from the outset.
After only a minute Pwllheli threw out a long miss pass to the right. Unfortunately for the hosts, it was grabbed by one of the best players on the pitch, Llandudno’s Rhodri Carlton Jones, who gleefully raced 50 metres to score under the posts.
The score and subsequent conversion by Carlton Jones rattled Pwllheli and their attempts at a riposte were thwarted by either poor handling or wrong option taking.
At this stage the visitors were fighting for every scrap and they unsettled Pwllheli.
The home side were awarded a penalty for their efforts, but the attempt drifted well wide. It was not until the 22nd minute that Llandudno yielded their first try.
With the ball quickly recycled in Llandudno’s 22, Dylan Llyr saw a gap in the rush defence and cut clean through to score.
Seven minutes later, Pwllheli finally took the lead. Once again quick ball was fed to debutante scrum half Gareth Patchett, who darted through to score a neat try.
Pwllheli were now on top and it was no surprise when their number eight, Richard Hughes, bulldozed over in the 35th minute to score a try under the posts. Dylan Llyr also added the conversion to take the score at half time to 17-7 to the home side.
If Pwllheli thought they were going to have an easy ride in the second period they were very much mistaken. The visitors flew into the tackles and also competed well at the set pieces after the restart.
Pwllheli lost their pattern, and although they rarely threatened the home line, Llandudno’s aggressive defence was effective.
The hosts regrouped and were able to put in a devastating 15 minute spell which overwhelmed the tiring Llandudno team.
On 67 minutes second row Huw Willimas scored his seventh try of the season as he touched down after a driving maul.
With the bonus point in the bag, Pwllheli relaxed and turned on a fluent display of open rugby. Substitute Chris Studt scored Pwllheli’s fifith try, followed by his impressive back row partner, Harri Parri.
The coup de grace came from fly half Dylan Llyr, who jinked his way through Llandudno’s cover to score under the posts.
The successful conversion rounded off Pwllheli’s much needed home victory.
With Mold losing to Bro Ffestiniog, Pwllheli remain in contention for the third place position, but they have only a brief respite before they resume league action.
They take on Bro Ffestiniog away on Wednesday, 17 March, 7.30pm kick-off.
They also host Ruthin RFC at Bodegroes tonight (Thursday) in a second leg North Wales Cup match. Kick off is at 7.30pm.
Ruthin lead 15-13 from the first leg, and Pwllheli need to win by more than three points to go through to the semi-finals.
• Elsewhere in Division One North, Caernarfon notched an important win at the top of the table with a 12-8 win over second-placed Nanty Conwy, while Colwyn Bay improved their chances of avoiding the drop by collecting maximum points in a 28-0 win over bottom side Denbigh.