RUTHIN 27
LLANGEFNI 15
A TOP-SIX spot is Ruthin’s reward after a successful Division One (North) weekend.
With Llangefni sitting just above Ruthin in the table, with a three point difference, this was a crucial match for both sides to win to keep themselves out of the dreaded drop zone.
The game started with some vigour and inside the first three minutes, fly half Wil Davies had slotted over a penalty goal for the hosts, with Carwyn Milburn’s successful kick replying for Llangefni.
The visitors missed a further penalty goal attempt, but Davies slotted over his second for the Blues to put them 6-3 ahead.
It looked as though it might all fall apart for the home side when two players were sin-binned for separate offences in quick succession and the visitors capitalised on their two-man advantage by scoring a try, that was converted by Milburn.
However, the Blues dug in and they edged to a 12-10 lead thanks to a further brace of penalties from the boot of Davies.
Ruthin were now in gear and they spent most of their time in the visitors’ half.
The pressure paid off with centre Ben Syme going over for Ruthin’s opening try, with Davies successfully adding the extras.
Llangefni were having to defend desperately against the Blues’ organised and aggressive attack.
Two almost certain Ruthin tries were negated by infringements on the try-line, but Llangefni were unable to clear far from the resultant penalties.
Eventually they conceded one of their own, which Davies slotted over to make the scoreline a healthy 22-10 at the break.
The second half started with a great try.
Home flanker Clwyd Jones ran almost the full length of the pitch to go over, but Llangefni responded immediately following the restart with an unconverted try of their own.
At 27-15, the visitors clearly decided that the game was not lost and for periods of the second half, they put the home side under great pressure.
The Anglesey outfit had the better of the scrums and began to use that to their advantage, but the Blues defended well and could have gone further ahead on the break with great runs by Jones, wings Parry and Davies and replacement Meldrum.
There was no further score and Ruthin can be pleased with their continued improvement, which has seen them move 13 points clear of the bottom-two in Division One (North).