WHAT a start to the season it’s been for the lads from Caeau Les Phillips.

Dinbych opened their Division Two (North) campaign in emphatic style with a 12-try bonus point victory to spoil the celebrations of Welshpool, who were marking their 50th anniversary.

Although Welshpool competed well in the set pieces, Dinbych had the upper hand in the loose and through the excellent support play of the forwards.

Meanwhile, the incisive back division carved out openings, which they finished with clinical efficiency.

Full back Gruff Roberts took the try-scoring honours with a hat-trick of high quality tries, while centres Tom Seddon and Owain Davies each scored a brace.

Other tries were scored by wings Aidyn Jones and Jordan Wynne, and from replacement hooker Dafydd Jones, plus half backs Garin Roberts and Dan O’Sullivan.

The boot of O’Sullivan converted nine of the tries.

Welshpool dominated the opening 10 minutes as they laid siege deep in the Dinbych 22, hammering away at the line through driving mauls and pick and drives by the forwards.

Dinbych weathered the storm as a result of their watertight defence and gradually they worked their way upfield.

Taking play into the Welshpool 22, they recycled the ball several times before Gruff Roberts sliced through down the left for the opening try.

Dinbych were now getting into their stride, and after skipper Narmer el Lamie and Dan O’Sullivan were both just held up short of the line, the ball was spun out for left wing Jordan Wynne to cross for a try in the corner.

O’Sullivan converted both tries with excellent kicks from wide out.

Dinbych then launched an attack from a lineout just outside the Welshpool 22, with Gruff Roberts overlapping on the left and despite an attempted high tackle, he cut inside to evade several defenders with elusive running to score a high grade try, converted by O’Sullivan.

The visitors closed the first half scoring from a long-distance counter attack initiated by Jordan Wynne deep in his own 22.

He linked with opposite wing Aidyn Jones, who then broke down the touchline into the Welshpool half.

He cleverly swapped passes with Tom Seddon for the centre to cross for a try, again converted by Dan O’Sullivan.

Leading 28-0 at the interval, Dinbych soon increased their lead early in the second half when Gruff Roberts went over for his hat-trick score after an attack from a short-range scrum.

Centre Owain Davies then added Dinbych’s sixth try as he took advantage of O’Sullivan squirming out of several defenders’ tackles as he broke through in midfield.

Flanker Tom Eden then turned the ball over in contact near halfway for Tom Seddon to break deep into the Welshpool half, before putting Owain Davies over for his second try.

O’Sullivan added the conversion points for both tries.

Tries were now coming at a rapid rate, with Tom Seddon going over for his second after taking an inside pass from replacement wing Jordan Hetherington.

Scrum half Garin Roberts then went over for a try - converted by O’Sullivan - after good work by Dafydd Jones.

Aidyn Jones then ran in a solo try from halfway after picking up a loose ball, with Dan O’Sullivan again converting.

Excellent support play by the forwards was rewarded when replacement hooker Dafydd Jones took an inside pass from Narmer el Lamie to cross for an unconverted try.

O’Sullivan closed the scoring with an exceptional solo effort from near his own line, breaking upfield and although partly halted by half tackles, he managed to outpace the covering defence in a length of the field run to cross for a try, which he then converted.

Despite this deluge of scores, a tiring Welshpool side continued to battle for everything and it was only strong defence by Dinbych which kept them out as the attacked close to the line as the game finished.