Fixture

Dolgellau 5.V. 0 Teirw Nant

                             North Wales Intermediate Cup Round 1

     Tuesday 20th November 2018

Dolgellau are through to the 2^nd Round of the North Wales Intermediate Cup thanks to a solitary try to centre Gareth Hughes eleven minutes into this, not so pretty, but nonetheless, gripping cup encounter under the Marian floodlights.

Pre-match, both sides and a sizeable crowd observed an impeccably observed minutes’ silence in memory of Dolgellau club legend, Dewi Jones [ADAS], who’s funeral was held earlier in the day, and attended by a sizeable number of members of both Dolgellau and Caernarfon rugby clubs. He would have enjoyed the competitive nature of this contest.

Dolgellau had the benefit of the wind, on a cold but dry night, and eleven minutes had passed when Dolgellau stand-off, Jac Roberts, hoisted a speculative kick towards Nant’s left corner, the wind caused the ball to sway into the hands of wing Jake Hinge, and the winger’s clever pass to centre Gareth Hughes was enough to wrong foot the normally cast iron Nant defence to go over in the corner, to what ultimately would be the match winner.

As for the league match here in September, the Nant defence was impeccably organised, they disrupted Dolgellau’s set piece, and generally swarmed all over any attacking intentions that Dolgellau could muster, and clear cut chances were at a premium.

A couple of forays into the Nant defence by wing Rhys Lewis and centre Henri Roberts was as close as Dolgellau came in a very even first half.

Nant, with the wind, made better use of the ball in the second half, and stand-off Elis Fon began to influence proceedings, but Dolgellau’s defence, superbly marshalled by no.8 and Man of the Match, Dewi Thomas, was also in no mood to let this one slip away.  Nant outside centre Caron Evans shaved the left upright with a penalty attempt fifteen minutes  into the half, and was just wide with a similar effort two minutes later.

Twenty five minutes in Nant inside centre Rhys Jones broke free and with only Dolgellau’s Jac Roberts to beat, but the Dolgellau stand-off managed to shadow him for long enough for cover to arrive, and the chance was gone. During a frantic last few minutes, Nant were threatening ominously, but again Dolgellau’s goal line defence held firm, and so held on for a memorable and hard fought win. 

Referee: Amanda Leah