Fixture

Dolgellau 20.v.12  Bro Ffestiniog 

                            [Div 1North ] 09.09.2017

Dolgellau turned the tables in the last half hour of this match, as they came from behind to claim their first points of the season, and overcome what seemed a dominant Bro forward unit in a tense and hard local derby encounter.

It all started so well for Dolgellau. Five minutes in, Bro scrum half, Mathew Haydn broke free deep into Dolgellau territory, however he was robbed by home prop, Dan Brazier at the breakdown and he found centre Dylan Evans who broke through several tackles to sprint clear to touch down. Five minutes later Dolgellau stand-off, Gerwyn Thomas slotted over a penalty to put Dolgellau 8-0 ahead.

Bro dominated the next forty minutes as their forwards gained ascendancy. After fifteen minutes a driving maul saw flanker, Llion Kerry crash over for the try. Stand-off, Huw James, converted to narrow the gap to a single point at 8-7.

Bro’s forwards pounded away and on 28 minutes flanker Kerry again involved as the ball was spun wide to centre Aron Aspden to go over to give the visitors a deserved 8-12 lead at the interval.

Bro continued to dominate at the start of the second period, but fifteen minutes in Dolgellau brought on props Huw Jones and Dewi Pugh and their presence had immediate effect.

From a scrum ten metres out, Dolgellau scrum half, Jac Roberts, took advantage of his new-found freedom to manoeuvre at scrum time, and found centre Dylan Evans in good support to go over for his second try of the game. Gerwyn Thomas’ conversion gave Dolgellau a slender 15-12 lead.

Despite several down-pours a decent sized home attendance were being fully entertained, and it was uncompromising at times, Dolgellau centre Gareth Hughes having to receive treatment for a gash to his cheek. But it was the home eight that now began to dominate and, wing Gerwyn Pugh, flanker Danny Evans and no.8 Dylan Llewelyn were all thwarted short of the try line. However they clinched the match with only four minutes remaining, as Gerwyn Thomas’ magnificent cross field kick was gleefully gathered by left wing Rhys Lewis to go over in the corner, and give Dolgellau a deserved 20-12 victory.

Referee : Ammanda Lattuca

 Ball Boys [U14] : Kane Triggs and Ryan Hughes