12.09.09 Saturday 12 September 2009 Machynlleth 6-17 COBRA
A young COBRA side missing 5 senior players came away from Machynlleth with a deserved win after producing a mature performance which belied the lack of first team experience.
Machynlleth started in the ascendency as their large pack made inroads into COBRA territory forcing the visitors to concede an early penalty which was converted to give the home side a 3-0 lead. Machynlleth remained in charge of the early exchanges and could have doubled their lead but a long range Penalty fell short of the posts. After soaking up the early pressure COBRA struck with their first attack as clean ball from a lineout was quickly fed to the backs, Centre Sion Wyn Williams made the most of the space to beat his man and set Full Back Geraint Williams free, he stepped inside the cover defence to score the games first try. Willams converted his own try to give COBRA a 3-7 lead. COBRA soon extended their lead after Outside Half Gareth Smith sliced through the defensive line and from the resulting ruck the Machynlleth backs strayed offside and conceded a Penalty in front of their posts. Williams took the 3 points on offer to extend COBRA's lead to 7 points. The second half continued in the same vain as the first with the Machynlleth forwards and inside backs pressurising the visitors but unable to breakdown the defence. COBRA's backs continued to look dangerous with limited possession and effectively the game was won when second row Garmon Evans shrugged off tacklers to set up an attacking position, the ball was quickly spread wide to Sion Wyn Williams who cut through the covering defenders to score. Geraint Williams added
the conversion to give COBRA a 3-17 lead. In the final quarter Machynlleth tried to get back into the game but COBRA were able to absorb the pressure and control play to force the home side to attack from deep. Machynlleth kicked a late Penalty to reduce the deficit to 6-17 but could not score the try to get a losing bonus point.
COBRA Team
1 A Davies 2 C Davies 3 B Edwards 4 G R Evans 5 R Vaughan 6 H Evans 7 G Evans 8 B Jones 9 I Vaughan 10 G Smith 11 M Jones 12 A Pryce 13 S W Williams 14 R Davies 15 G Williams 16 O Morris 17 C Oakley 18 R Rees 19 W Astley
