Ychydig yn brin o bedair blynedd oed wedi mynd heibio ers i Nant Conwy golli gêm gynghrair a honno oedd un galed yn erbyn Llandudno. Ers hynny, maent wedi ennill pob gêm gynghrair ddilynol ac eithrio dwy gêm gyfartal yn erbyn Caernarfon yr hydref diwethaf, gyda’r ystadegau yn dangos 75 o enilliadau a 2 gyfartal. Felly, mae’n debygol mai ffawd y byddai Caernarfon yn dod â’r rhediad hon i ben. Gwnaethant hynny ddydd Sadwrn mewn gêm hynod agos, gan orffen yn fuddugol gyda 30 pwynt i 27. Roedd y canlyniad mewn amheuaeth hyd at y diwedd pan gafodd ymosodiad Nant ei atal un llath o’r llinell pan benderfynwyd fod y cariwr pêl wedi camu tros y linell ochr cyn i’r bêl gael ei rhyddhau.

Roedd yn bilsen anodd i’w goddef gan ystyried bod Nant wedi sgorio mwy na’u croesawyr gyda 4 cais i 3. Ond mae’n dangos y gall cosbau benderfynu gêm ac mae hyn yn union yr hyn a ddigwyddodd gyda Chaernarfon yn trosi tair cic gosb i un gan Nant. Yn rhy aml, roedd Nant yn rhoi eu hunain dan bwysau neu roedd symudiadau addawol yn dod i ben trwy roi cosbau i ffwrdd.

Yn gyntaf, gosododd y ymwelwyr eu hunain dan bwysau pan roddodd cwymp yn fuan ar ôl y dechrau fantais diriol i Gaernarfon a rhoi iddynt y cais cyntaf wedi hynny ar ôl 5 munud, gyda’r trosiad yn eu rhoi 7 pwynt ar y blaen. Trawodd Nant yn syth gyda’r ymateb, ac gostyngodd cic gosb gan Caron Davies y fantais. Yn fuan wedyn, aeth Nant ar y blaen pan aeth Brychan Dafydd, gan dderbyn pas tu mewn, dros y llinell gan ei gwneud yn 8-7.

Fodd bynnag, trodd y cymhelliant yn ôl at y cartrefwyr a gwelwyd cic gosb yn eu rhoi nhw ar y blaen. Wedyn cafodd Davies ergyd cic gosb yn taro’r post. Roedd Dafydd yn gyntaf at yr adlamiad ac, o’r ryc, symudwyd y bêl allan yna’n ôl i Brenig Hughes fynd drosodd.

Ymddangosaai y byddai Nant yn mynd I mewn ar y hanner amser ar y blaen ond eto fe roddon nhw eu hunain dan bwysau gyda wrth fethu gyda thaclo a’r cosbau anorfod yn cael eu rhoi i ffwrdd. Caernarfon, wedi methu gyda thaflu i mewn o’r llinell, yn llwyddo wrth ddewis chwarae sgrym, gan ennill y cais wrth wthio trosodd a trawsnewid y sgôr i arwain 17 – 15.

Ar ôl chwarae’r hanner cyntaf yn erbyn goledd y cae, rhaid bod Nant wedi bod yn hyderus wrth fynd i’r ail hanner yn chwarae i lawr y bryn. Fodd bynnag, y tîm cartref a wnaeth gynyddu eu harweinyddiaeth drwy gic gosb lwyddiannus. Daeth Nant yn ôl gyda chais gan Gruff Roberts a osododd y sgoriau ar 20 – 20.

Gyda 20 munud i fynd, aeth Caernarfon ymlaen eto gyda rhediad i, a chais yn y gornel dde. Cafodd hyn ei drosi a dilynwyd hynny gan gôl cosb arall i roi Caernarfon ddau sgôr ar y blaen. Daeth Nant yn ôl eto a gostyngodd rhediad a chais Siencyn Metcalfe a throsiad Davies y gwahaniaeth i 3 phwynt.

Gwelwyd methiant cic gosb gyda munudau i fynd oedd yn golygu bod cyfle Nant i ddod yn gyfartal wedi mynd ar goll cyn i symudiad olaf y gêm bron arwain at sgôr ddramatig.

---

It was a little short of four years since Nant Conwy narrowly  lost a hard fought league match to Llandudno. Since then they had won all their subsequent league games apart from two drawn games against Caernarfon last season, the statistics being won 75, drew 2. So it was probably fated that Caernarfon would bring this run to an end. They did so on Saturday in a close match, running out winners by 30 points to 27. The result was in doubt right to the end when a Nant attack was stopped a yard from the line when the ball carrier was adjudged to have gone into touch prior to the ball being released.

It was a bitter pill to swallow given that Nant had outscored their host by 4 tries to 3. But it shows that penalties can decide a game and this is exactly what happened with Caernarfon converting three penalties to Nant’s one. All too often Nant put themselves under pressure or had promising moves come to an end through penalties being conceded.

The visitors initially put themselves under pressure when a knock-on soon after the start gave Caernarfon territorial advantage and they subsequently got the first try after 5 minutes, the conversion putting them 7 points ahead. Nant immediately hit back and a penalty by Caron Davies reduced the lead. Soon after, Nant went ahead when Brychan Dafydd, taking an inside pass, went over making it 8- 7.

However, the impetus swung back to the hosts and a penalty saw them take the lead. Davies then had a penalty hit the post. Dafydd was first to the rebound and from the ruck the ball was moved out then back for Brenig Hughes to go over.

It appeared that Nant would be going in ahead at half-time but again they put themselves under pressure with missed tackles and the inevitable penalties. Caernarfon, having failed from the lineout, were successful from opting for a scrum, gaining the pushover try and conversion to lead by 17 – 15.

Having played the first half against the pitch inclined, Nant must have been confident entering the second half playing downhill. However, it was the home side who increased their lead through a penalty. Nant came back and a try by Gruff Roberts put the scores at 20 – 20.

With 20  minutes to go, Caernarfon went ahead again with a try in the right corner. This was converted and followed by a penalty to put Caernarfon two scores ahead. Nant came back yet again and Siencyn Metcalfe’s try and Davies conversion reduced the difference to 3 points.

A penalty miss with minutes to go saw Nant’s chance to draw level go begging before the final move of the match almost resulted in a dramatic score.