PWLLHELI moved to within six points of Division One North leaders Nant Conwy, with a game in hand, as they registered a 37-0 home win over Mold - and this performance was built on a solid defence.

Mold never gave up the challenge and their possession and territory showed that the visitors had actually spent a lot of time inside the Pwllheli red zone.

Pwllheli’s defence was once again resolutely structured and cohesive, and this, combined with a lack of a cutting edge by the visitors, ensured another clean sheet.

It was apparent that the reintroduction of both Tom Parry and Ellis Bodwy gave the home side a far more secure line-out.

Parry’s return, after a four month injury lay-off, could not have been more dramatic as after only two minutes he broke away from a maul on the half way line and beat the Mold cover to touch down.

In very difficult conditions, both teams had a decent amount of possession, but it was to Mold’s advantage that the sticky surface militated against flowing rugby from the talented Pwllheli back line.

Both packs competed well, but it was Pwllheli who scored next when a series of scrums on the Mold twenty two put pressure on the visitors’ defence, and it was inevitable they would finally succumb.

Pwllheli’s captain and scrum half Nicholas Butterworth sniped over from close range, but the shot at goal missed.

The match entered into an arm-wrestle, with neither side able to dominate, and the packs were evenly balanced at this stage in the set-pieces and in open play.

Pwllheli allowed the Mold half-backs limited time on the ball, and their commitment to close down the Mold half backs brought about Pwllheli’s third try.

Mathew Parry charged down a kick, followed up the loose ball, and with a skilled pick up he was able to cross the line wide out on the left, for an unconverted try.

The game went back to a slog in the mud, and it took Pwllheli until the 38th minute to score their fourth bonus try.

The scorer was left wing Robin Hughes Jones, whose pace and power saw him beat the desperate Mold cover to score.

With place kicking being made very difficult by the ever worsening playing conditions, the conversion kick again failed.

At the start of the second period both Huw Williams and Tudur Griffiths were brought on at substitutes, and the fresher legs gave Pwllheli some added impetus.

The Llyn side’s fifth try saw Tom Parry finish off an unrelenting and precise driving maul to score, and much to the delight of the home supporters Osian Parry Jones successfully slotted the conversion.

The match became error-strewn because of the greasy ball, but both teams tried hard to play some decent rugby.

Pwllheli used the blind side effectively from a set scrum, and a neat flat pass allowed right wing Osian Parry Jones to crash over for a try wide on the right.

The hosts introduced their remaining substitutes, with Gwilym Parry, Bleddyn Hughes and Danial Glyn coming on, and the seventh and last try by Pwllheli was scored by Robin Hughes Jones in the left hand corner, after full back John Pugh had turned the Mold defence with a well angled grubber kick, to seal the win.