Report
Saturday January 07, 2012
The large crowd at Caernarfon were testament to one of the best encounters witnessed in the Division 1 North Championship for many a year. Both teams were to be congratulated for an all action eighty minutes that meant that the final score was in question throughout. In view of their current league status, a close contest was always on the cards but the nail biter that unfolded was unscripted.
Conditions were gladly conducive to good rugby with very little wind and the pitch in surprisingly good condition. Caernarfon were gifted an early penalty opportunity from an obstruction at kick off but the ball drifted wide. Soon good ball retention by Nant Conwy led to them pressurising the Cofi line but the defence was very well marshalled. Playing downhill Caernarfon themselves responded with good offloads and direct running stretching the Nant defence. The dominant Caernarfon scrum of old, with young Jack Matthews punching well above his weight, was an added bonus and asked questions of the visitors. After a series of up field thrusts, a quickly taken penalty by scrum half Trystan Gwilym found the present, ever effective second row Paul Williams at hand to barge over wide of the uprights. Kelvin Morris duly added a fine conversion.
At this stage Caernarfon were combining well, putting together wave after wave of promising attacks. To Nant’s credit, their defence held firm but with the penalty count against them mounting it was not surprising to see Kelvin Morris adding another three pointer when the midfield was caught offside.
With the home crowd thinking that a further score was imminent Nant had other ideas. Ifan Jones, lively at scrum half took a quick tap from within his own half and set off on a mazy run that was only halted yards short. Nant forwards came to life and following a period of pressure released their backs to allow the experienced centre Emrys Evans to wrong foot the cover and crash over on 34 minutes. Almost instantly, the Nant pack were back to their marauding best and a series of pick up and goes close to the line were only halted illegally. Caernarfon thinking that Nant would automatically opt for a three pointer prior to half time were caught cold when flanker Gareth Jones chose a quick tap and ploughed a furrow to the whitewash. Carwyn ap Myrddin duly added the most basic of conversions to give Nant, what a few minutes earlier had looked unexpected, a 12 – 10 half time lead.
At the restart levels of fitness and commitment were not found wanting by anyone with ball in hand with Liam Leung and Gwilym Jones charging like men possessed at the opposition constantly. Both back rows worked tirelessly and the tussle between two class acts in Andrew Williams and Carwyn Ellis was a notable spectacle. On 50 minutes, an illegal shoulder charge on the rushing centres allowed Kelvin Morris to slot over a penalty to regain the lead for the Cofis. From this point onwards, the match became an even more tense affair with the knowledge that one error could be exceptionally costly. Play became concentrated in midfield with the numbers of scrums mounting, however Nant on more than one occasion released their backs swiftly and effectively and it called for good scrambling defence and the sharp eye of the referee who called a forward pass thus halting one very promising move.
In contrast to the usual scenario, very little use was made of the subs bench, a testament to the commitment and tenacity of all concerned. As the game was drawing to a close Nant’s prop was yellow carded for illegal use of the boot but apart from one other skirmish the fiercely contested match was played in very good spirit by players who had the utmost respect for each other’s talents. With Caernarfon longing for the final whistle and failing to find touch an effective drive by Nant handed one final penalty effort at the death but the posts were out of reach.
In view of percentage territory and possession, Caernarfon may just have done enough to shade it and the win gives them a little breathing space at the top of the league.
Rugby supporters will await the cup encounter between the two sides at Nant Conwy on the 28th January with interest.