DINBYCH head coach Russ Rowlands has promised that his side will give it a real go to make a swift return to the top table of North Wales club rugby.
The Caeau Les Phillips club’s six-year stay in SWALEC League Division One (North) will come to an end this season after Dinbych’s relegation was rubberstamped last weekend.
Second-from-bottom Llandudno ensured their place in the top flight thanks to a bonus point 43-12 victory at home to Bro Ffestiniog, leaving Dinbych 12 points adrift at the foot of the standings with only two games left to play.
“We have obviously missed out on the experienced players,” admitted Rowlands this week.
“Some lads have moved away, some have retired and some have been injured.”
With some of the older guard moving on, this has handed a number of the club’s youth team players a chance to make their mark at first team level.
“It’s been great this year using four-or-five from the youths ... it bodes well for the future.
“It’s just a pity we have struggled.”
It’s not just in the first team department that it has been a struggle for Dinbych this season, but also in the second XV section.
After gaining promotion from the North East Wales League last season, Dinbych 2nds have endured a tough baptism to life in Division Four, due in the main to a lack of available players.
“The seconds have struggled all season,” added Rowlands.
“The main aim of the seconds has just been trying to get a team out all season.
“Sometimes we have had 20-plus players and some others we have had nine-or-10.”
It would be easy for those connected to Dinbych to lose heart from a troubled campaign, but Rowlands stressed: “I have not been disillusioned. I think we missed out a lot on our fitness coach, who wasn’t able to take us.”
He added: “We didn’t have a great start and we’ve been trying to play catch-up rugby.
“Even though we have had a couple of big defeats, the lads have come back every time.”
While they’ve suffered heavy losses at the hands of Mold, Pwllheli, Ruthin and Caernarfon this season, Dinbych probably deserve a better haul than the two league wins they’ve picked up.
As well as beating Colwyn Bay and Bro Ffestiniog this season, Dinbych have been on the wrong end of narrow losses to Llangefni and Ruthin, while there were positive glimpses in knockout action for the club with a North Wales Cup win at home to Pwllheli and a SWALEC Plate defeat of Llandudno.
Dinbych now have two games remaining to complete the campaign - at champions-elect Nant Conwy on Saturday and home to Llandudno on May 1.
“We know it’s going to be a hard game in Nant ... but we’re not going to roll over there,” said Rowlands.
As for next season, Dinbych will face a tough fight against either Bala or Bethesda for the solitary promotion place available in Division Two (North).
But Rowlands confidently predicted: “Next season, we will be looking to come straight back up.”
The key to this, he said, will be to keep the current squad together and attempt to enlist a few more players over the coming months.