COBRA claimed the early season bragging rights with a 33-7 derby win at home to Welshpool.

The Meifod side did all the damage in the first-half with five tries and ensure no way back for Pool.

No8 Dorian Lloyd was joined on the scoresheet by flankers Lee Hughes and Ieaun Williams, hooker Steve Isaac and centre Aled Humphreys while Will Worthington kicked four conversions.

Pool reduced the arrears before the break with Ben Gutteridge crossing and Dan Earle converting.

The second-half proved a much more even affair with Pool pressing for a route back into the game and forcing COBRA to defend but the Meifod side had already done enough to secure a bonus point victory.

The sides meet again this week in the Swalec Bowl with COBRA going into the tie as favourites while Pool will look to build on their positive second-half display.

Meanwhile Llanidloes went top of the table with a tightly contested 8-7 derby win at home to Newtown.

Defences were on top in an error strewn encounter with the home side weathering early pressure in dour conditions to establish a slender interval lead.

Centre Rob Jones crossed for the only try of the half with Adam Price adding a penalty.

Llanidloes had a try disallowed early in the second-half before the visitors came to enjoy possession and territory only to be undermined by dropped passes.

Newtown set up a tense finale when Junior Dean raced over for a try, converted by Will Holloway but Llanidloes held out to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Elsewhere Machynlleth slipped to a 12-9 defeat at home to Pwllheli IIs in division three.

Kameron Simmons-Sandy kicked three penalties for a full strength Mach but fell agonisingly short at home to a Pwllheli who sealed a slender victory thanks to tries from Berwyn Jones and Fin Calderwood and one conversion from Alan Roberts.

Meanwhile the club holds a sponsors evening at its clubhouse on Friday, September 21 starting at 7.30pm.