If the Rhuthun players were looking for inspiration for the challenge that lay ahead against opponents, Nant Conwy they didn't need to look any further than their bus driver.
The gumption on display as he navigated the squad and his vehicle over Llanrwst bridge was quite something.
Albeit it took two attempts. Good work, drive.
The visitors were keen to make it second time lucky themselves. Having been on the wrong end of a two point ball game when the pair met at Cae Ddol in August.
Nant had the better of the opening exchanges, and persistently looked to find and exploit space on the blind side.
The front line defence of Rhuthun was up to the task with relentless lock Cameron Lumsden setting the standard for sticking in the shoulder.
On the few occasions where the hosts did get behind enemy lines they were thwarted either by the scramble defence or their own inaccuracies.
Rhuthun's best opportunity of the first half saw hot stepping wing, Gwion Richards open up the home defence before failing to successfully link up with eighth man, Sion Donnelly as the play, which had Nant Conwy reeling, advanced into the home 22.
Nant led at drinks, thanks to a well struck penalty goal, which went some way to avenging an earlier miss from out in front of the sticks.
The second half followed a similar narrative to the first.
Neither team was capable of devising or executing a plan of attack that was consistently good enough to overcome the defensive endeavour that both sides tabled as a non negotiable.
The critical moment came when the ball spurted from a Rhuthun ruck as wing, Bryn Sheppard embarked on a counter attack.
The hosts re gathered possession and took advantage of the open space to race over to score what would be the game's only try.
Protests from the visitors as to how and why the ball exited the ruck were ignored and the hosts had a two score lead that they refused to relinquish despite the best efforts of the visitors.
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