DOLGELLAU 25
DINBYCH 6
WITH Dolgellau sitting proudly at the top of Division Two (North) - six points ahead of second placed COBRA - Dinbych knew they had to be at their level best to get anything from this game.
As it turned out their work rate could not be faulted throughout, but Dolgellau deserved their win for being far more clinical when opportunities arose for them to score, deep into the game.
Dinbych enjoyed 80 per cent of the territory and had most of the possession in the first half, without being able to turn this advantage into tries.
They led with a Llion Edwards penalty after 20 minutes play and although they produced wave-after-wave of fine attacking rugby, orchestrated by the same player and his scrum half partner and man-of-the-match Schrimshaw, a combination of fine defence and an inability for taking their scoring opportunities when they arose would prove costly late in the game.
Dinbych started brightly and kept Dolgellau on the back foot for long periods.
The experienced Gareth Jones and his younger partner Brychan ap Geraint provided stability in the front row.
Skipper and hooker Geraint Madoc Jones was finding his man every time at the lineouts with Warren Edwards, Rizzi and Allsup soaring high to provide fine ball.
They were ably supported by Adam Jones, disrupting good Dolgellau lineout ball.
Wynne, as usual, was a constant threat in midfield with his probing runs down field and finding players in space with his slick passing.
His centre partner, the versatile Dan Jones, normally a prop, revelled in the space created and put in some crunching tackles in defence. Aiden Jones, making his first team debut on the right wing, and George Owen at full back, were solid under the high ball, while Mellorin, on the right flank was very unlucky not to ground the ball after his fine run down the touchline.
However, Dolgellau showed why they are top of the table as they were very patient and made the most of their few flourishes downfield. They forced some Dinbych indiscretion for a Tomos Roberts penalty to bring them level.
Soon after, the livewire Schrimshaw made a fine break through the middle, but when tackled he had no-one in support to continue the move.
The position gained enabled Llion Edwards to put Dinbych into the lead again with his second penalty, before Roberts redressed the balance to make it 6-6 and the game was finely balanced for the second half.
It was not to be Dinbych’s day for after a promising start to the second half, whilst playing into the wind.
Dinbych’s play became ragged with the scrums coming under pressure and the lineouts erratic.
Outside half Roberts put in high kicks to drive Dinbych back.
They still put in the tackles with Dave Roberts and George Owen especially prominent in defence and putting their bodies on the line. However, something had to give and although Dinbych fought until the end, they were unable to prevent hooker Geraint Evans from scoring the first of his hat-trick of tries in the corner to make it 11-6.
On the hour mark, he popped up again in the middle of the backs to score his second, converted by Roberts.
Dinbych then came back strongly.
The scrum was bolstered by Paul Roberts and Max Sharples coming on for the last 20 minutes.
However, a fine driving maul from a lineout ended any hopes of a Dinbych revival, as that man Evans was again on hand to get the final touchdown with Roberts converting.
This game was another step in the right direction for Dinbych as they now play with far more belief and confidence after an unsteady start to the season.