Saturday 25th March '06

Colwyn Bay 47 - Wrexham 46

This was an away game anticipated with eagerness by super-fit Colwyn Bay 2nds anxious to get back to Rugby after a too- long lay off because of International commitments. In the event because of three or four late withdrawals, five or six work commitments and someone swanning down some foreign slope, it was only a hardy band of some 9 players who reluctantly set out for this league game against Wrexham 3rds. Wrexham had agreed to fill the gaps and on arrival two teams were formed although we had to concede the points.  Llew hurriedly sorted out the line out calls, the double scissor calls and the call to arms. What followed was a spectacle that defied all depressing ominousness. The Bay won an enthralling match watched by only your reporter and a refugee from Khazakstan or at least that was I thought he said- maybe he just had a bad cold. The heroic Bay lads kicked off into a small gale and soon found themselves 12 points down. However Wrexham began to tire after five minutes and the much fitter Bay boys were able to take advantage of the ever opening wider spaces to draw close. At this point, 20 minutes in, the valiant Bay lads also began to tire and those wide open spaces became even wider with the pitch more resembling Ypres 1915 than anything else. With only the strong standing, tries followed for both sides in very quick succession for the first half to end up 26-15 to the home side. The demented ping-pong carried on until full time with a festival-like atmosphere and nobody including the referee having any idea what the score was. After 30 minutes and three recounts it was announced that the Bay lads had  run away to a 47 to 46 points victory. How's that for open rugby. Final try tally: the Bay 7 tries and 6 conversions ( a sure boot from Phil Dickson) to 8 tries from Wrexham with only 3 converted. Many thanks to the lads who actually made the trip: Nick, James, Steve, Adam, Quince, Dean, Dan, Phil and Llew who gave this reluctant participant one hell of an afternoon to remember. Many thanks also to Andy at  Wrexham for sorting out the teams at such short notice.  Ruthin 2nds don’t stand a chance next week at home!