Fixture

Flint travelled down to play Benllech for their rescheduled game which was cancelled the previous week.

With a strong wind blowing up field, but otherwise perfect conditions, Benllech kicked off after winning the toss with the wind behind them and put Flint under early pressure through their heavy and drilled forwards. Flint soon found their feet and forced the home side back in their own half, where they gathered and ran the ball up to near the halfway line. Flanker Owain Hedd showed why he is the best 7 in the league by ripping the ball off the Benllech centre while in full flight mugging him of possession to feed his supporting backs for centre Dan Stokes to score Flints first try of the game, converted by winger James 'bezz' Beresford 0-7. Five minutes later Beresford crossed the line again for an unconverted try out wide 0-12. Benllech fought back from this early setback to score an unconverted try of their own, after some well worked pick & drives - 5-12.

Flint soon hit back with 2 unanswered tries by centres Kieran Jones and 2nd from Stokes, both converted by Beresford 5-26. Even though Flint had secured a bonus point by running in 4 tries before the break, this didn't dampen Benllech's desire to keep in touching distance with their visitors and after some more effective pick and drives Benllech went over for their 2nd try through their impressive powerhouse number 8, unconverted 10-26. Just before the the break fullback Sam Parry who picked the perfect line to score Flints 5th try, converted by Beresford 10-33.

At the break the Flint pack were told, that even though they were more than holding their own at the set piece and winning good quick ball at the breakdown for their live wire backs to run in the tries, they needed to defend tighter at the ruck to halt the Benllech pick and drive as that could become a real threat, also because the platform set by the starting 15, Flint were able to ring the changes and brought on 3 of their 5 subs and also made some positional changes, allowing some experimental options for the forthcoming games.

The 2nd half got underway with Flint carrying on their impressive attacking style when flanker Lawrence Rogers burst through for the first of his brace of tries converted by fly half Damian Goss 10-40. Benllech tried to hit back with their tried and trusted pick and drive, but the Flint pack had heeded the halftime instructions and nullified Benllech's greatest weapon at source even managing to force them backwards at times. Now with Benllech's biggest threat being taken care of, Flint were able to put the home side to the sword and they had no answer to the pace and silky skills of the Flint backs, next to score was veteren utility back Dustyn Parry who came off the bench onto the wing, try was unconverted by Goss 10-45, next to score was powerful blindside winger Jamie Elder, converted by Goss 10-52, then came flanker Rogers' 2nd try, converted by Goss 10-59. Then finally centre Stokes topped a brilliant performance to go over for his hatrick and earned himself a well deserved man of the match, converted by Goss. Final score 10-66.

Due to the excellent team performance by the starting Flint side, they were able to give plenty of game time to some up and coming young players in their squad, namely 2nd row Jack Douglas who caused Benllech a lot of problems at the lineout and loose play and 2 other young players, wing Harry Neild and Flanker Ryan Hayward who have impressed playing for the Castlemen in recent weeks
TRIES
Dan Stokes           - 3
Loz Rogers           - 2
James Beresford - 1
Kieran Jones        - 1
Sam Parry             - 1
Dustyn Parry         - 1
Jamie Elder           - 1
CONVERSIONS
James Beresford - 4
Damian Goss       - 4
MOM
Dan Stokes
TOM
Ryan Hayward — with Mitchell Martin and 3 others.

Report by Aled Davies