COLWYN BAY RFC V BALA RFC 9/12/06

BALA WIN GAME DOMINATED BY THE ELEMENTS

To quote a cliché this was a game of two halves.  Bala had the benefit of a driving wind in the first half and the Bay staged a storming fight-back with the wind in the second half but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome a solid Bala display.

Bala dominated possession for the first 20 minutes aided by the elements with a penalty by Ynyr Jones and an unconverted try by Daniel Davies to take an 8 points lead.  The Bay fought back but conceded a series of penalties to give Ynyr Jones two successful attempts to give Bala a deserved 0-14 advantage at half time.

In the second half long touch finding kicks by Bay full back Patrick leach kept Bala in their own half and sustained pressure led to a penalty kick by Ash James to reduce the deficit to 3-11.  Bala fought back and an unconverted try by Euros Jones and a careless penalty conceded by the Bay was converted by Ynyr Jones to give Bala a seemingly unassailable 3-19 lead. 

Despite the deficit the Bay showed great character and a well taken ball and break by Will Blackwell resulted in a menacing maul and a Bala infringement to give Ash James the opportunity to convert another penalty to take the score to 6-19.  He quickly followed with another penalty and the Bay pulled back to 9-19. 

Following sustained Bay pressure a brilliant individual try by Patrick Leach, converted by Ash James pulled the arrears back to 16-19 and at this stage it was anybody’s game.

In the dying minutes the Bala pack fought back strongly keeping play on the Bay line and a well taken drop goal by Ynyr Jones secured a Bala win 16-22.

The Bay will be hoping to improve their fortune when they meet Bala again in the North Wales Cup next Saturday in what promises to be an entertaining encounter.