Cobra lose as Newtown draw

Cobra lost their unbeaten record as well as top spot after going down 23-6 at home to promotion chasing Dolgellau in Division Two (north).

 

The Meifod club started the season with seven straight league wins, but it came to an end through an impressive Dolgellau display which began with a well-taken try following a scrappy opening.

 

Cobra failed to utilise the first half wind and were trailing 10-0 but improved just before the break the break with two Llew Williams penalties to trail 10-6.

 

Cobra pushed hard to win the match but lacked the execution needed to breach the Dolgellau line, and when Dolgellau kicked two long range penalties to make the score 6-16, the home side had a mountain to climb.

 

It was made worse when Gareth Smith’s pass to winger Matt Jones was intercepted and Dolgellau touched down for the 23-6 win.

 

Newtown failed to close the gap on third-to-bottom Denbigh when they were held to a 13-13 draw, also in Division Two (north).

 

In Division Three (north), Welshpool produced a strong first half performance but 34 unanswered points after the break gave league leaders Shotton Steel the win.

In a scrappy and tense first half, Welshpool were unlucky not to find themselves leading but went behind to a breakaway unconverted try, followed by a penalty. Welshpool got onto the scoresheet with a try from captain Andrew Thomas, who capitalised on a strong run from winger Dave Jones to score in the corner. An excellent conversion from Daley Jones put Welshpool within a point, but the visitors were able to score again to go into half-time with a 13-7 lead.

But Shotton produced a second-half masterclass which was aided by a mystifying yellow card for scrum-half Jonathan Rees-Jones. Nevertheless, the hosts battled hard to the final whistle but couldn’t halt the visitor’s unbeaten start to the season.

Newtown 2nds got off to a flyer in a hastily arranged fixture against Bridgnorth 3rds.

 

Following a string of frustrating call-offs, the Green Army managed to play their first game of the season and won 72-0.

 

Town started brightly, and didn’t let up as the scores came at regular intervals. Two first half tries apiece from Andy Marriot and Jack ‘Pasty’ Davies, as well as one each from Gareth Kelly and the evergreen Mark Pratten gave the Green Army a comfortable 39-0 half time lead.

 

The Green Army advanced again in the second half with further tries from Nick Heywood, Ash Thomas, Luke Matthews, Dylan Green and a late double from Rowan Meek in a 20-minute cameo. Dan Paige booted four conversions and Dylan Green added another.