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HOLYHEAD 12 – RHYL & DISTRICT 63

Saturday 18th February, 2017.

With a strong wind blowing end to end and down the slope, Rhyl won the toss and chose to face the elements, a decision which was amply justified by securing a 4 try bonus point before half time, with the score at 25 – 0 to the visitors. The tries were scored by Ethan Woodfine, Tom Jones, Shane Brooks and Stuart Fellcrook, with a conversion by Tom Jones and a penalty goal by Jason Blackmore.

Rhyl put in a strong, direct-running performance in the first stanza, based on a dominant scrummage and an efficient line-out, plus some excellent orchestration of the back line by Jason Blackmore. Sadly, Jason aggravated a hamstring injury and was replaced on the half-hour mark.

Down wind and downhill, the 2nd half started brightly with a powerful break and fine turn of speed by Jack Hughes for the opening score, converted by Tom Jones. Gregg Proffitt, Jack Hughes, again, and Damon Price added further tries.

The gutsy Holyhead outfit stuck to their task and were rewarded with 2 tries from powerful forward drives, one of which was converted, but Rhyl re-asserted their dominance with 2 late tries. Shane Brooks and Tom Jones bagged a second try apiece, both converted by Tom, who finished with the very fine haul of 18 individual points. Not just Tom Jones, but special mention also to 2 other of our Youth contingent, Cail Hughes and Nick Drinkwater, who both made their First XV debuts.

2 of Rhyl’s tries were particularly noteworthy. For the first, Tom Jones fielded a wayward kick close to the half-way line, made ground and passed right on the button to Stuart Fellcrook, who in turn put Damon Price away in a race to the corner for a try that made Messrs Ford, Farrell and Daley look second best at Cardiff the week before. For the second, backs and forwards combined down the left hand short side with a burst of inter-passing and close support play that went half the length of the pitch, for Shane Brooks to claim the touchdown and carry off the Man-of-the-Match award.

The final tally was 10 tries, 5 conversions and a penalty goal to 2 tries and one conversion.

It might sound churlish to be critical after such a high-scoring game, but our decision making and our handling and passing were far below the level required if we are to compete with the teams at the top of our Division. Tighten up those aspects of our play and we can become a force to be reckoned with.