Fixture

Wrexham Youth 17 v 40 Caernarfon Youth

The first game of the Premiership season saw the young Cofis make the long trip to Wrexahm to take on what the home side claimed to be a largely inexperienced side. Truth be told the visitors team was also largely made up of first year players, thus promising to give the game a very competitive edge.

The kick off saw the visitors absorb some early heavy pressure from the home side and, with an early score to Wrexham looking inevitable, a surging run out of defence by flanker Samiwel Williams saw play advance deep into the home sides half. A resulting lineout found the ball in the hands of scrum half Rhys Williams and his snaking run saw him dive over the whitewash for the first score of the day. 

Following a successful conversion by centre Owain Williams the Cofis soon found themselves back in their opponents half where further strong runs by the forwards eventually found the ball with No 8 Llew Williams who exerted all his power to crash over near the posts. The conversion attempt was again successful and, with barely 10 minutes gone, the visitors found themselves with a 14 point lead.

It would have been reasonable for the travelling supporters to expect further scoring by their team however it was the home side that was to add to the scoreboard when extensive pressure on the Cofis try line allowed No 8 Rhys Cartwright the chance to crash over and reduce the visitors lead.

Caernarfon then had to endure some heavy pressure from Wrexham, partly due to some strong carries by the home sides forwards, but primarily due to some poor tackling by the visitors. When it looked like the Cofis would have to pay for their indiscretions a quick turnover saw, for the first time in the match, some great phase play take them up to the home sides try line where flanker Williams was on hand to add to the visitors total.

With Williams again adding the extras it appeared that the Cofis were back in control of the game however further indiscipline allowed the home side a penalty within metres of the Caernarfon try line. With the referee signalling last play it was only some stalwart defending that kept out the Wrexham forwards, giving the Cofis a somewhat complimentary 21 -5 half time lead.

Playing with the advantage of a slight slope, the second half soon saw Caernarfon encamped in the Wrexham half, due mainly to some strong carrying by their forwards, in particular prop Jordan Jones. This pressure looked like it was sure to pay dividends and sure enough, with barely ten minutes gone flanker Williams was again on hand to crash over under the posts. Centre Williams was again able to add the extras giving the scoreboard a more comfortable feel.

It was not long before the visitors again troubled the referees scorecard, on this occasion some lovely inter-play between the Cofi back line finding the ball in the hands of winger Jack Davies who's deft side step saw him break through to score under the posts. 

With Williams again adding the extras the visiting supporters could have been excused for thinking that the result was beyond question however the home side were not be outdone and despite some much improved tackling, in particular by man of the match Jordan Jones. reduced the deficit when winger Alex Kokic dived in at the corner flag.

The resulting kick off allowed the home side to run the ball back at the Cofis where a scrum on the five metre line saw flanker Leaman Cribbins drive over under the posts.

With time now running out there was just time for one more score, again to flanker Williams when a quickly taken penalty saw him crash through some desperate tackling and complete his hat trick.

The score brought the game to an end giving, on paper, a comfortable 40 - 17 bonus point victory. The reality is that with a potentially season defining cup game against South Wales outfit Penallta RFC next Saturday some hard work will need to be done in the coming days, in particular with regard to the defensive frailties that were exposed by Wrexham RFC.

Match report provided by John Eden Jones