Rugby Union: Llandudno pipped by Bethesda

Sep 30 2010

BETHESDA 21 LLANDUDNO 19

Division One North

DRAMA specialists Llandudno crashed to a second narrow defeat of the season, falling to yet another last minute score.

Last week it was Tudno who claimed a late victory, seeing off Pwllheli at Maesdu Road with a last-gasp try, while the previous week the Seasiders went down to a heartbreaking defeat at title hopefuls Caernarfon, again in the dying embers.

So to tumble to one more late-late disappointment will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of all concerned and Tudno will be looking for some kind of reaction this weekend when they entertain bottom of the table Llangefni.

But the Maesdu men will take positives from the encounter at Bethesda on Saturday, coming back from behind at Dol Dafydd to lead late on.

Pesda, having been promoted to Division One North, showed they can compete with the best. They put Llan under pressure from the start inside of their own half, and it was only a strong defence that kept them at bay.

While Llandudno were doing everything they could to keep Bethesda out, they could not stop fly-half Mathew Parry slotting over two penalties to give the home side a 6-0 lead at the interval.

Early in the second half Llan struck back when centre Simon Beards broke out of his own half and with others in support winger Steve Lester was sent clear to outpace the hosts’ defence and touch down in the corner.

Bethesda themselves retorted from a flowing break with Arwyn Griffiths going over and Parry improving the score, before from a line out move, Pesda added a further try when Gareth Ogwen crashed through to ground the ball to make it 18-5.

Llan now realised they needed a big effort to win this very tight encounter, and after No8 Kelvin Davies took an interception and raced clear to score, it was the backs that provided what the travelling supporters thought was the match-winning converted try.

With slick handling at pace winger James Gregson used his power to force his way through with Rhodri Carlton Jones adding the conversion to hand Llan a one-point advantage.

But with the match heading into injury time, all Llan needed to do was keep their discipline and retain possession.

However, one infringement in a good position allowed Parry the chance to fire over a match-clinching penalty and leave Llandudno ruing what might have been.

Colwyn Bay went down to a heavy 69-10 defeat at Caernarfon, with flanker Sam Stephenson scoring a consolation try for the visitors, converted by Mike McDonagh, who also added a penalty.

The second placed Cofis ran in tries from full-back Lance Owen (2), second- row Paul Williams (2), winger Dylan Gwyn (2), hooker Liam Leung, flanker John Llewellyn, centre Iolo Hughes, No8 Rhys Evans and fly-half Kelvin Morris, who also slotted over seven conversions.

The Bay now face Pwllheli at home on Saturday.