Fixture

Bala RFC | 1st Team 15 - 17 Bro Ffestiniog RFC | 1st Team
Ian Roberts
2 Conversion
1 Drop Goal
Huw Parry
1 Try
Matthew Williams
1 Try

Match Report
26 September 2016 / Team News

Historic win for Bro

You would have to trawl though the history books back to November 1993 when Bro last won at Maes Gwyniad when Australian Dave Nicholl, playing his first season for Bro clinched the match with a penalty and a dip in the freezing lake for his efforts - but this time it was local lad Ian Roberts who won this compelling encounter with a drop goal. The win even more sweeter for Edwyn Roberts' men as Bala are in fine form.
The hosts soon took the lead though a Rhydian Jones penalty as Bro were penalised for not rolling away.
It did not take long from the restart for Ffestiniog to settle and attacked into the Bala 22 fly half Mathew Hayden went through but the try not awarded for crossing. The home side came under huge pressure but Jones continued to clear his line with some excellent kicking.
On 17 minutes Bala were awarded a penalty and chose to kick for touch. A clean catch and drive took the ball to within meters of the try line but Bro won turnover ball and cleared.
From another lineout on the halfway the home side spread the ball one way then the other with backs and forwards combining well the attack culminated with wing Iwan Williams crossing for an unconverted try out wide.
Another Bala attack was stopped at source and Bro hooker Tom James kicked the ball up field, as ever on hand was Huw Parry who also showed his footballing skills and the ball bounced nicely into his grasp - the flanker crossing over under the posts with centre Ian Roberts converting.
Just before the half time whistle Bala crossed the whitewash once more but the linesman's flag was up for a foot in touch and the sides went into the break with the score at 8 - 7.
From the re-start Bro raced out of the blocks and 2 minutes into the second period were awarded a lineout deep into Bala's 22. A training ground move saw flanker Marc Morris gathering the ball off the top and gained the yardage before offloading to Hayden to score under the posts Roberts once more adding the conversion.
But Bala were soon back into the lead. Fly half Owain Aled side stepping his way over and Jones converting a fine try.
The hosts should then have extended the lead firstly from a penalty on 40m and then from 25m after Bro were twice penalised for offside but both efforts went painfully wide.
With twenty minutes of the half gone the match was marred with controversy, Bala crossed the whitewash once more and there was some handbags behind the posts with many players getting involved. Once the dust had settled referee Sion Dingam, much to the home crowd's dismay, did not award the try but awarded a penalty to Bro for an earlier high tackle. He then awarded yellow cards to Bala's Clwyd Edwards and Bro's Mathew Hayden.
In the final ten minutes Bro attacked from a lineout, the Quarrymen went through the phases before sending the ball out to the backs. Roberts instinctive drop goal was not struck as sweet as he hoped but the ball went over the posts and sealed the victory.
Bro were then down to fourteen once more as centre Dewi Atherton was binned for a high tackle.
The final minutes was all Bala as they tried to regain the lead they pressurised deep into Bro's 22 and were awarded two kickable penalties in succession - one missed the posts by a long way and they chose to kick the other into touch. Bro won that lineout and kicked the ball into touch. Jubilant scenes followed the final whistle on the visitors side of the pitch for a long awaited away win at Bala.
This was never going to be a high scoring match as both sides defence are well organised. Bala were probably favourites before the match but Bro Ffestiniog showed they have the character this season to come back once more and steal a win from the edge of defeat.
Bro entertain Ruthin next as Bala visit Pwllheli - another weekend of excellent rugby awaits - Kick off 2:30pm
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