So near and yet so far ....

The visit of the Wizards from Aberavon is always eagerly anticipated as it gives Pooler a chance to wear their alternative strip. This year it is a rather fetching pink which I have to say did not really have enough contrast with the red and black of Aberavon on a bright sunny afternoon at the Park. Pontypool Park on a nice spring day is pleasant place to be and a decent crowd basked in the sunshine.
This really was one that got away! Pooler started brightly with an early try but then Aberavon, playing down the slope, took over with some slick and powerful rugby and had soon established a lead. Pooler looked all at sea with a new half-back pairing of Evans and Tovey, on loan from the Dragons, not really gelling with the rest of the team and we feared the worst. As the half progressed, Pooler gradually settled down and the hot conditions seemed to take the sting out of the heavyweight Wizards' forwards. The teams went in at halftime with Pooler losing by 8 points - it could have been a lot worse we thought.
The second half was all Pooler and it seemed inevitable that they would overhaul Aberavon. Pooler spurned some excellent opportunities both from good field position and from the kicking tee. Aberavon were reduced to 14 men after a yellow card but still managed to outscore Pooler by two penalties to one during the sin-bin period. It looked all up for Pooler but they never gave up trying and a fine try and a penalty closed the gap to just 3 points for the last few minutes. Pooler camped deep in the Aberavon half and even spurned an eminently kickable penalty in their pursuit of victory. Blakey, the prop, was held up over the line and despite a period of intense pressure from the resulting 5 metre scrum Aberavon managed to hold out.
It was hard luck on Pooler who could of and should have won but this is why Aberavon are at the top of the table and we are near the bottom. We had ample chances to win the game comfortably but didn't capitalise on them particularly as a result of some wayward goal kicking.
The regional rugby over the weekend resulted in good victories for the Dragons and Ospreys away in Scotland and Ireland respectively. The Ospreys win at Leinster was particularly impressive where a dominant scrum stole a rare victory. The Blues v Scarlets game was exciting but littered with mistakes. The Scarlets backs showed their class and that combined with some awful defending meant that the West Walians took the spoils. The game was played at the Cardiff City Stadium in front of a small crowd which was really disappointing when so many of Wales' Grand Slam players were on view.
At Pooler we are still on "death row" waiting to hear when we are to be executed. Rumours still abound that a last minute reprieve from the President may yet arrive. That sad old padre is waiting outside, however, and it looks odds on that we will be touching the green, green grass of Newbridge next season.