Fixture

Despite their determined commitment a young and inexperienced Dinbych side fell to a heavy defeat by Nant Conwy in the opening fixture of the WRU Plate First Round played under restrictions of Covid-19 Rule amendments. With three of the pack making their senior league debuts in a competitive match there was a struggle to obtain first phase possession although they competed well in the scrums. However it was in open play where Nant dominated through their work at the breakdown and their fitness, handling skills and support play which allowed them to string together multiple phases of attacking play which kept Dinbych at full stretch throughout.

As a result despite good tackling displays by individuals Dinbych inevitably conceded tries as they ran out of defenders. Nant started strongly and opened the scoring in the fourth minutes when they kicked a penalty into touch near the Dinbych line and then set up a driving maul from which they sniped over in the corner for an unconverted try. Dinbych soon replied as they took play into the Nant 22 where centre Robyn Cartwright snapped up a loose ball when a Nant move broke down to go over for a try at the posts with a conversion by outside half Garin Roberts giving the hosts the lead. This did not last long as Nant again scored from another short range line out attacking through midfield for a converted try. Midway through the half skipper Tom Seddon made a searing break from inside the Dinbych half before releasing left wing Kieran Bonar on a run for the corner only to be denied by a try saving covering tackle just short of the line. To make matters worse Nant then recycled the ball and their excellent support play saw them score an unconverted length of the field try in the corner. The visitors were now dominating territorially and went further ahead with a converted try from a solo effort from forty metres out when a relieving Dinbych kick failed to find touch and compounded by a number of missed tackles. Nant’s relentless attacking play was now stretching Dinbych’s defence to its limits resulted in two further converted tries to give them a thirty eight points to seven lead at the interval.

There was no respite for Dinbych as Nant again opened the scoring in the first few minutes of the second half with an unconverted try following a short range scrum. Their next converted try came when Dinbych conceded possession under intense pressure and this was followed with an unconverted try in the corner again resulting from excellent support play in a move from half way. The final two converted tries came in the closing few minutes both again involving good handling by Nant to outflank a tiring Dinbych defence.

In a Dinbych side which never gave up, the Back Row of Gwern Pierce, Hari Evans and Dave Roberts together with Prop Richard Hilliard-Evans never stopped tackling whilst Dinbych' backs showed what they might have achieved in attack with a greater share of possession.