1st XV 28 Llandudno 19

Sat, 17 Dec 2011

With Llandudno at the bottom of the league, they had travelled to Llangefni with a hope of a win against a side also struggling in the bottom three of the league table. With Llandudno being unable to play a front row, uncontested scrums were allowed for the game to continue. Llandudno kicking off to the safe hands of Llangefni, the game started with both side making inroads into each other`s territory but without managing to pierce defences to open up the scores. It was the visitors Llandudno who got the first points, from mid field position and the ball coming loose on the ground, Llandudno picked up making good passes, going from hands to hands to eventually scrum half Tom Hocknell who had ran out wide, he received the ball and seeing the open space went for the line, scoring a try in the corner. A missed conversion saw the scores 0 – 5.

Play continued with Llandudno making some inroads to Cefni territory; Llangefni fought back and some 23 meters from the Llandudno try line, Llandudno were found to be offside with Cefni going forward, penalty to Llangefni which centre half Carwyn Milburn successfully kicked cleanly through the posts, 3 – 5.

Play continued with scrappy play by both sides. Llangefni were becoming more and more in-disciplined with referee awarding scrum after scrum to Llandudno for Llangefni infringements; but it was for going over the top in the ruck by Llandudno that gave Llangefni an opportunity to go ahead with points, penalty to Llangefni successfully taken by the safe boot of Carwyn Milburn, 6 – 5.

Play continued and within minutes, and for the same infringement, going over the top in the ruck, Llangefni were awarded a further penalty from much the same spot as before. Carwyn Milburn slicing the posts again, 9 – 5.

Play continued, and with Llangefni in an attacking position, a high tackle on the ball carrier by Llandudno saw a further penalty awarded to Llangefni. Centre half Llyr Huws kicking up field to within 15 meters of the Llandudno try line. Llangefni throw in, which went clear of the line, but with a lucky bounce the ball came back to Cefni hands to drive forward, but with just 2 meters to the try line a Llandudno infringement gave a scrum opportunity to Llangefni. The ball was fed in, uncontested, came out to No. 8 and Captain Iestyn Dafydd who saw the opening on the blind side and went through crossing the line for the try, successfully converted by Carwyn Milburn, the score, 16 – 5.

Play continued with Llandudno in possession, but from a long pass on the half way line, Llangefni winger William Samuel Owen intercepted it and darted up field for the second try near the posts. Successfully converted by Milburn, 23 – 5, which was the score at the half time whistle.

The second half saw Llangefni kick off to the hands of visitors Llandudno. Llandudno the far stronger side in the second half, with 90% of play in this half played in the Llangefni territory. Against odds, the first try of the half came from Llangefni. A hard fought score which the forwards earned moving up field from the half way line, a case of pick up and drive, pick up and drive all the way `till prop Mathew Thomas was able to cross the line, try to Llangefni, but with a missed conversion the score 28 – 5.

Llandudno came back hard at Llangefni, and for the remainder of the game they were allowed to play their game in the Llangefni half of the field. With tries coming from centres James Gregson and Lloyd Owen, both successfully converted by scrum half Tom Hocknell, taking the score to 28 – 19, the final score of the game.

Llangefni travel to Ruthin in the New Year on the 7th January and next play at home against Caernarfon on the 14th January 2011.