COBRA 35

DINBYCH 17

IT'S fair to say that Dinbych will be glad to see the back of COBRA!

The WRU League Division Two (North) champions have swept almost all before them over the course of their double-winning campaign.

However, they've endured tricky moments in their clashes with COBRA this season.

A powerful display by a close knit and well-drilled COBRA pack saw them use their weight advantage in the scrums and their driving mauls to lay the foundations to gain a notable double over Dinbych.

In doing so, they inflicted the only two defeats suffered by the champions during their fine league campaign.

Despite the free-flowing nature of the game, there was only one try scored in the first half, but the floodgates opened in the second half with a further seven scored, while the lead changed hands several times.

In a fluctuating first half, both sides attacked in contrasting styles, with COBRA using their forwards in the main, while Dinbych utilised their backs.

However, neither team was able to make any significant progress against equally strong defences.

With Dinbych fielding a much changed side from their North Wales Intermediate Cup victory the previous week, it was surprising that they just edged both territory and possession in the first half, but they failed to maintain any momentum.

That was due to the dominance of the hosts in the scrums, which enabled them to disrupt Dinbych's possession and force them to concede a number of penalties.

The only score came with the last move of the half after COBRA disrupted a scrum on the left on Dinbych's 22.

The home side managed to turned over possession, which allowed centre Llew Williams to cut through the middle for a try, which was converted by Wil Worthington.

With the hosts leading 7-0 at the interval, Dinbych replied in the first minute of the second half after COBRA'S restart kick went directly into touch.

From the resultant scrum, Dinbych attacked down the right through full back Gruff Roberts, who chipped ahead for scrum half Garin Roberts to outpace the defence and gather to touch down for a try, converted by half back partner Dan O'Sullivan.

Dinbych then took the lead with a counter attack from halfway.

Gruff Roberts and left wing Dafydd Cartwright broke through to put centre Tom Seddon over in the corner for an unconverted try.

COBRA were able to regain the lead when they used their scrummage dominance to good effect for number eight Ryan Goodwin to touch down for a pushover try from a short-range scrum.

Dinbych responded with the game's outstanding try.

This was set up by Gruff Roberts tearing through the heart of the COBRA defence from halfway and beating numerous would-be tacklers before finding Dafydd Cartwright in support.

The wing still had a lot to do before going over for an unconverted try in the corner, giving Dinbych a 17-14 lead.

COBRA then began to dominate both possession and territory in the final quarter and they took the lead once more when hooker Steve Isaac went over for a try from a driving maul, which was developed from a short-range lineout.

They went further ahead when left wing Ieuan Williams went over for a try after COBRA counter-attacked when Dinbych lost possession in a period of loose play on halfway.

Outside half Wil Worthington converted all three tries, but he was not called to convert COBRA's final try.

This was a penalty try awarded after Dinbych had conceded a number of penalties at a scrum near their line.

Although finishing on a losing note, apart from their struggles in the scrum this was a gritty and committed performance by Dinbych's makeshift side.