Fixture

On a wet and blustery afternoon playing conditions were difficult on a very soft pitch but both sides provided an exciting 80 minutes play.  Pesda started well with their strong pack driving down field and fast running backs testing  Ruthin’s defence from the outset.  The pressure told and within 5 minutes centre Llion Lloyd was over the Blues try line for an unconverted try.  Ruthin came straight back with full back Mike Evans making ground to put prop Tom Crawford through for a try under the posts and an easy conversion for 2^nd row Deian Lloyd Williams.  The home sides forwards then led the attack into Ruthin’s 22 and although the visitors defended well Pesda’s pack were too strong for them and they went over for pushover try by No 8 Rhys Williams.  The home side continued their occupation of Ruthin’s 22 and the Blues did well not to concede more than a penalty goal by fly half Matthew Parry.  At 7-13 down Ruthin were back in Bethesda’s territory, missed a speculative penalty goal attempt and after a kick up field Ruthin had a lineout in their own 10 yard line which they lost and after the ball went loose Parry nipped over for Bethesda’s 3^rd try to make the score 18-7 just before half time.   Ruthin had a much better second half and immediately after the break got themselves back in the game with try by wing Huw Parry.  We then had 10 minutes of torrential driving rain during which the players could do little more than kick the ball up and down the field.  Once the rain eased off both ground and ball were even more slippery.  Bethesda were awarded successive penalties in Ruthin’s half and full back Gethin Long put the 2^nd over.  Although Ruthin piled into the home side’s 22 towards the end of the game Bethesda’s defence held and the whistle blew with the score 21-12 to Bethesda.