BALA were left to rue a below-par performance as they slipped to a disappointing 26-3 defeat at relegation battlers Cobra in Division One North.

The Maes Gwyniad men are still flying high in third position in the standings, but they will need to bounce back against top-three rivals Caernarfon, who are now just three points behind, at home on Saturday.

Despite having the upper hand in the forwards’ battle, Bala’s tackling often let them down and the clinical hosts took their chances well to run in for four tries.

Harry Jukes played a key role as he crossed for a brace, while also kicking three conversions in a man of the match winning display for the Meifod outfit.

Bala’s poor defence was exposed as the hosts broke to score three first-half tries, with Jukes joined on the scoresheet by Sion Wyn Williams, and Jukes converting two of these scores, whilst Rhydian Jones reduced the deficit with a penalty.

COBRA added their bonus point try early in the second-half with Jack Jukes going over for a try, and brother Harry added the extras to seal their victory. Bala pressed as the second half proceeded but they were unable to find a way through the resolute Cobra defence.

• Bala Seconds lost 28-5 at home to a young and mobile Pwllheli Seconds, after their opponents turned up without a front row, and the hosts’ heavy pack were deprived of the scrummaging advantage their forward-based game depends on.

Pwllheli’s athletic forwards constantly beat Bala to the breakdown and leapt higher in the line out, which gave their well drilled backs the possession they needed to run in four converted tries.

Pwllheli’s first try came after just five minutes when their forwards rumbled the ball over the line from a five yard catch and drive. Fifteen minutes later, quick ball off the top of another five yard line out allowed their inside centre to finish off a well rehearsed training park move.

The half time score of 14-0 would have been much higher were it not for the solid defence of prop Dewi Pugh, second row Dylan Anderson and centre Dafydd Jones. Scrum half Wil Bryn Gwyn was like an extra flanker, tackling anything that moved around the fringes of the scrum.

Bala tried to take the game to Pwllheli in the second half, but their pick and drive style was ineffective against an aggressive defence. Replacement fly half Dewi Simpson kicked Bala out of trouble and the line-outs improved when debutante Dan Wynne came on at hooker. Jack Evans also counter-attacked well from full back.

The game was dead and buried by the final quarter when Pwllheli’s backs ran in two more tries, but Bala fought back in the final stages of the game and a patient forwards’ drive allowed centre Iwan Spar to crash over for a consolation try.