Fixture

Pwllheli RFC | 1st Team 20 - 19 Bala RFC | 1st Team
Osian Jones
Try 1
Conversion 1
Drop Goal 2

Match Report
05 November 2017 / Team News

Pwllheli RFC 20 Bala RFC 19.

Despite the cold and blustery weather a large crowd turned out to watch this key League match. The numbers were swollen by the many who had turned up to watch  Pwllheli's Under 8 and Under 10 take on their Bala counterparts.
Bala were far quicker off the blocks than Pwllheli and went on to dominate much of the first half. Bala took the lead after only two minutes with a penalty by fly half Owain Aled. The visitors played a quick offloading game and it was very effective. Only stout defending kept the vistors at bay as they threw the kitchen sink at Pwllheli.
Pwllheli were rocked after fourteen minutes as they lost key back rower Tom Parry through what appeared to be a nasty leg injury. Once play resumed Bala kept up their momentum. Their strong agile forwards provided their speedy back line with quick quality possession and they stretched Pwllheli's composure and defensive cohesion. Pwllheli yielded a penalty on nineteen minutes and Owain Aled duly obliged with his second successive kick. With Pwllheli's line out being adversely impacted with the loss of Tom Parry Pwllheli struggled to get back in to the game. Bala maintained their stranglehold  and they were duly rewarded on twenty two minutes with a try from their busy number six Owain Pugh. The conversion attempt drifted wide.  Pwllheli did not want for effort or commitment but their usual cohesion was sorely tested. Bala rampaged at the rucks and several attacks were  only thwarted by last ditch tacking.  Pwllheli's hopes of no further scoring on the first half were dashed when on thirty nine minutes their hooker Garin Davies finished off a concerted attack. Crucially the conversion attempt again missed. Pwllheli dug deep and in the last seconds of the half they were able to retain possession. They made ground and Bala were penalised for dropping a driving maul. Osian Parry Jones kicked a vital penalty in the last play of the half.
Half Time - Pwllheli 3 Bala 16.
Pwllheli's half time team talk must have worked as they came out much stronger in the second period. Their line out woes were corrected in the main and the set scrum did well. With added possession Pwllheli posed a greater threat. With the wind at their backs they took the game to Bala. In fairness the visitor's defence was resolute but Pwllheli kept their composure. Fourteen minutes in Pwllheli made the breakthrough. After going through twelve phases space was created for right wing ParryJones to crash over. He added the conversion to make the score 16-10 in Bala's favour. From the restart Pwllheli  reasserted their pressure on the visitors. As the pressure mounted so Bala's defence became more frenetic.. It was inevitable that the referee had to respond and Bala's second row was shown a yellow card more as a general response to the frequent killing of the ball rather his individual offence. The home side now needed to maintain their discipline and focus and this they did commendably.  Pwllheli now kept the ball tight and after a series of  attacking moves were illegally prevented the referee determined twenty nine minutes in  that a penalty try was the correct response. With Pwllheli now leading - by 17-16 - for the first time in the match Bala had to respond. To their credit this was exactly what they did .They attacked on Pwllheli's left and Pwllheli conceded a penalty on thirty five minutes. Fly half Owain Aled cooly slotted the kick to give his team the lead.
Pwllheli now had to manage their game. They did so and two minutes before the end of the match they pressed Bala into conceding a penalty. Forty five metres out the most relaxed player at Bodegroes was Osian Parry Jones. His strike soared over the posts to give his team the hard won victory.
Bala will be aggrieved at their loss and they were certainly formidable opponents. 

Pwllheli's Second fifteen resurrected their push for honours in Division three . They beat  Denbigh seconds by twenty six points to five and earned a try bonus point. With Nant Seconds losing Pwllheli are now in second place in their league. Pwllheli's Youth side beat Bethesda by twenty seven points to twelve.
Sadly it has been confirmed that Tom Parry suffered ligament damage and a broken ankle. All the Club clearly  wish him all the best and hope he makes an early and full recovery. 
The contest for League honours does not get any easier. On Saturday the Club are away to Mold. The team coach leaves the clubhouse at 11.15 prompt.

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