CAERNARFON 18

RUTHIN 25

AFTER a five-week break, Ruthin returned to Division One (North) action and they had to fight out a tough encounter at Caernarfon on Saturday.

The Blues claimed a battling 25-18 success and they're now in a great position to achieve a top-three finish.

Playing up the hill but with a gusty wind behind them, the Blues were the first team with points on the board.

This came via a penalty goal kick after five minutes from full back Nathan Jones.

However, the Cofis took the lead five minutes later.

After a short period of pressure, home wing Dylan Gwyn went over the whitewash.

Ruthin then missed a chance to regain the lead when a penalty goal attempt went wide.

The game oscillated between the two 22s, with both sides defending well and then after half-an-hour, the ball was passed out to wing Bryn Sheppard, who put the Blues back into the lead with an unconverted try.

Straight after the restart, Ruthin were awarded a kickable penalty and Nathan Jones duly obliged to slot it between the uprights to put his team 11-5 ahead.

By now, the gusty wind was accompanied by driving rain and the last 10 minutes of the first half were played out with no further addition to the score.

Caernarfon full back Aled Jones reduced the arrears straight after the break with a successful penalty goal kick, but then the gap widened again in Ruthin's favour.

The Blues went 18-8 ahead with their second try and this was scored by second row Sion Roberts, with Nathan Jones kicking the conversion.

After a period of pressure in the home side’s 22, tempers frayed and this resulted in two yellow cards for Ruthin and one for Caernarfon.

Ruthin's 13 men defended well for a while, but eventually Aled Jones got over the try line for a converted try.

Then, a couple of minutes later, Jones successfully slotted over a penalty goal to level things up at 18-18.

The teams returned to 15 men apiece and after withstanding a Cofis' attack, the Blues returned to the home side’s 22 with some determination.

This was eventually rewarded by a try from number eight Tudur Parry, which was converted by Nathan Jones.

Another fracas then broke out and the referee blew for full time with Ruthin winning 25-18.