PWLLHELI were made to battle all the way for their 22-0 win a Bethesda side, whose performance on the day totally belied their league position.

They took Pwllheli to the wire, and could have argued they deserved to win.

Pwllheli had travelled without a sizeable contingent of their senior players, and were only able to secure three substitutes, including Ifan Post, who agreed to bench for the team, though he had not trained or played for the last nine months.

Conditions were better than expected at Dol Dafydd, but the teams were drenched by heavy showers which appeared towards the latter stages of the game.

The visitors started the stronger, as they coped with the bulkier pack and threatened with the ball in hand.

The totally new second row functioned well, and Ellis Parry proved a very reliable source of line-out ball.

The first try was archetypal Pwllheli. Winning scrum ball, Bethesda’s No 10 kicked long to Pwllheli’s right, and the ball was fielded by winger Osian Parry Jones, who bulldozed past his opposite number, before then releasing the ball to the supporting John Pugh.

Pugh’s pace did the rest as he beat the cover and scored from 50 yards out. The conversion attempt missed.

The fired up home side raised their game and made ground towards the Pwllheli try line. The visitors held for a series of phases, but it was inevitable that a breach would come, and it was hooker Rhys Williams who crashed over for the try.

Fly half Gethin Long confidently added the conversion to take his side 7-5 up.

Pwllheli were edged in the scrums, and Bethesda had far more of the possession.

With both sides playing at the edge, ball retention was crucial and with big hits being the norm there were regular stoppages in play.

Pwllheli, however, were always a threat, and on 24 minutes outside centre Gareth Lloyd Williams showed an exceptional turn of pace as he won the race from the kick ahead. Fortunately, Pwllheli’s official photographer Gareth Jenkins was on the spot to dispel any argument that the Bethesda player had touched down first, and Osian Parry Jones slotted the conversion.

Again Bethesda unleashed their powerful pack as they tried to bludgeon their way through Pwllheli’s defence.

The Pwllheli youngsters showed up well, even when skipper Nick Butterworth went off with blood injury.

Pwllheli were rocked as they lost a flanker to a yellow card, but they worked hard in response and were rewarded with a very well-worked try by centre Lloyd Williams, after Bethesda were beaten by sharp inter-passing between the backs.

Parry Jones’ conversion took Pwllheli’s lead to 19-7.

Bethesda then monopolised possession and took advantage of Pwllheli being a man short, and on 41 minutes fly half Long scythed through to score under the posts. His conversion took the half time score to 19-14.

The second period was low scoring, but intense, as both teams and referee Steve Nash of Ebbw Vale did well to cope with the impending gloom and rain.

Gethin Long reduced the deficit with a penalty, and Pwllheli lost a player to a yellow card, as an attempted interception was deemed to be a deliberate knock on.

Long added his second penalty for a slender lead.

Pwllheli’s heads did not go down, and they then took the game to their hosts.

They earned a penalty, and Parry Jones duly obliged with three points.

The remaining 12 minutes were nail-biting for both sides, but Pwllheli held on to secure an invaluable win.

Their next fixture is the local home derby against Caernarfon on 30 December. Before the game kicks off there will be a short ceremony to officially open the extension to the stand.

The development includes seating for the first time at the Club, and commemorates the sad and sudden loss of ex-Pwllheli Youth captain Robin Llyr Evans.