MATCHES between hosts Cobra and their derby rivals Dolgellau are normally tight uncompromising contests, and this bruising encounter was no exception.

The home team just about edged the match 15-13, courtesy of a second half performance that took full advantage of the breeze in their favour and Dolgellau’s mounting injury list.

It was Cobra that drew first blood, with stand-off Will Worthington slotting a penalty after just four minutes.

The hosts were working the tight channels well and Dolgellau’s young halfbacks had to cope with the pressure, but eventually stand-off Dafydd Roberts had to leave the field with a dislocated shoulder after quarter of an hour, replaced by Carwyn Puw, with Jac Roberts moving to No 10.A sniping run by Dolgellau’s Lewis Jones ended with a penalty that wing Gareth Hughes put over to make it 3-3 after 25 minutes.

Dolgellau enjoyed the territorial advantage throughout the half, but they could not break down a resolute home defence, but only a minute from the break, a lapse in concentration between the home back three saw Dolgellau flanker Guto Jones pounce on a loose ball to scurry under the goal posts for an opportunist try.

Hughes skewed the conversion wide form in front of the posts, leaving the score at 3-8 at the interval.

Ten minutes into the second period, as Cobra were beginning to make serious in-roads into Dolgellau territory, flanker Lee Hughes came close to scoring, but prop Nico Williams finished in style near the posts, and Will Worthington’s conversion made it 10-8.

Dolgellau lost Marios Jones, try scorer Guto Jones, Dylan Llewelyn and Eon Williams with injuries, to be replaced by youths Celt Lewis, Arron Jones, Cellan Evans and Dean Thomas, and the pressure mounted.

To their credit, they gallantly held on, but with 10 minutes remaining a Dolgellau clearance failed to find touch, and Cobra left winger Ieuan Williams broke through two tackles to score a fine individual try out on the left to make it 15-8.

With less than a minute to go Dolgellau wing Gareth Hughes broke into Cobra territory, and was hauled down illegally. From resulting penalty line-out, cleanly won by youngster Arron Jones, skipper Rhys Roberts was driven over to bring them to within two points.

Hughes’ conversion, with the last action of the match, however was way off the target, much to the relief and joy of the home team.