1st XV 13 Bro Ffestiniog 23

Sat, 03 Sep 2011

The first game of the season and Llangefni wanted to start a fresh from what had been a disappointing season last year. Bro Ffestiniog too wanted to start on a high, playing their first competitive game with full WRU Status and having had two very good probationary seasons under their belt, the game however was not going to be a walk in the park for either team. With Bro winning comfortably 23 – 13 it was a game played in atrocious weather, with lashing rain for the whole 80 minutes.

Referee Haydn Owen in charge, Bro kicked off the first half with a kick into deep territory won by the Cefni forwards who failed to keep control, the ball loose which allowed Bro forwards to pass the ball out to winger Stephen Lay who crossed the line for an easy first try of the game, less than two minutes from kick off, successfully converted by centre Barry Roberts, 7 – 0.  A wake up call for Cefni who tried valiantly to turn the pressure back on to the home team.  A clearing kick up field by Cefni  fly half Llyr Hughes put the visitors deep into the Bro territory and an offside infringement by Bro gave the visitors an opportunity to put some points on the score board. With Captain full back Iwan Davies successfully kicking the penalty, 7 – 3. Play continued and five minutes later, for an infringement off the ball, referee Mr. Owen awarded another penalty to Cefni within kickable distance Captain Iwan Davies once again taking the responsibility and cleanly slotting the ball between the posts, 7 – 6. 

Play continued with both teams gaining possession of a slippery ball from each other with difficult playing conditions at the breakdowns. Bro kicked up field with the ball going out of play just 10 meter from the Cefni touch line, failing to take control of the ball at the line out, Bro gained possession and with a pushing maul Bro were awarded their second try, the scorer hooker Tom James, but with a missed conversion the score 12 – 6. Bro increased their lead when Cefni were later penalised for being offside, penalty successfully slotted by Bro scrum half Ian Ellis, 15 – 6, and very shortly afterwards an easy try by fly half Aaron Roberts, with another missed conversion in the very slippery conditions, score 20 – 6. With Bro becoming more and more confident in their performance, and Cefni looking less and less likely to be the victors, there was a turnaround of fortune when Cefni Captain Iwan Davies intercepted a Bro pass, kicking the ball up filed, three times before the ball reached the Bro touch line when Davies grounded the ball, try awarded and successfully converted by Davies, the score at half time 20 – 13.

With everything to play for in the second half, matters did not improve for the visitors when with less than five minutes played on very slippery surface Cefni hooker Iwan Evans had to be stretchered off with a suspect fractured ankle. The game was halted for 10 minutes by referee Owen whilst Iwan Evans was attended to and ambulance called. The game re-started and a penalty awarded to Cefni, which Captain Davies failed to slot through the posts, the score remained 20 – 13.

The game continued in weather that got worse by the minute and for an infringement, Cefni coming in from the side in the ruck, a penalty awarded to Bro was successfully taken by centre Barry Roberts, 23 – 13 which was the score at full time. A difficult game for both sides with the weather conditions as they were, but with home advantage and the 16th player on the club terrace encouraging their home team to win their first game of the season, Bro were the deserved winners, but Cefni look forward to their return match at the end of the season.

All was not  lost for the Cae Smyrna squads though. The under 16 junior section who played Mold at home on Sunday morning 4th September 2011 were jubilant in their 22 – 14 win, scoring 4 tries and 1 conversion. Although many of the under 16 Eryri Cup winners 2010/11 have since moved up to the Youth section, it is good to see the replacements making their mark.

Llangefni play Bala at home next Saturday 10th September at Cae Smyrna 2.30p.m. kick off and the Youth team play Denbigh also at home. On Sunday 11th September  four junior teams, under 8, 10, 12 and 14 travel to Bethesda to play their first competitive game of the season.