It’s Tough at the Top

When I parked the car and walked towards Pontypool Park the Bargoed supporters’ coaches were just arriving. As they emerged excitedly from the coaches clutching their cans of beer and blowing their vuvuzela’s, you knew that the match was going to be something special. Yes, unbeaten Pontypool were entertaining unbeaten Bargoed in the first of the six crunch Championship fixtures that would define the season. The games between Pontypool, Bargoed and the also unbeaten Bedwas were surely going to decide who were champions and who therefore got the single promotion place on offer. You could forget all the fifty point victories so far - this was win at all costs.

It was a cold raw day but mercifully the heavy rain from the early morning had gone away. The pitch was a little damp but firm enough not really to affect play. A keen breeze was blowing mainly across the pitch but, if anything, favoured the team playing down the slope. A big crowd roared as Pontypool kicked off playing down the slope.

The Pontypool faithful were soon roaring even louder as, within the first few minutes, Pontypool gasman Lloyd Lewis sped off down the right touchline leaving defenders in his wake. He was stopped from scoring what would have been a spectacular try by a last-ditch ankle tap but it was a great start for the home side.

The two packs of forwards started to feel each other out and it looked a fairly even contest. Around ten minutes into the first half, Bargoed were penalised for an offence at a ruck. Meek slotted the kick from almost fifty metres which confirmed that the wind was favouring the home side (3-0). The match was turning into a bit of a kick fest as both sides elected to kick as a first option to try and gain territory. As you would expect for such an important local derby, things got a bit tetchy at times. Pooler were the beneficiaries at the end of the first quarter when a penalty to Bargoed was reversed for foul play. Meek converted from wide out just outside the Bargoed twenty-two (6-0).

The game would surely hinge on discipline and the penalty count as defences were on top. Pooler skipper Matthews was judged to have tackled the Bargoed scrum half too early at the base of a ruck and was awarded a yellow card for his trouble. Bargoed quickly capitalised on their extra man with a well taken try from a lineout near the home twenty-two. The backs moved the ball smartly for Prosser to cross in the left corner. An excellent conversion by Jones put the visitors in front at 6-7 with around ten minutes remaining in the first half.

Pontypool’s response was to work their way down field to retake the lead. Their cause was helped when Bargoed lost the services of Kynes for ten minutes for an offence at a ruck just before the interval. Pooler spurned what looked like a relatively easy penalty shot to go for a short range lineout. After a number of attempts at driving over the line and a five metre scrum or two, however, they came back empty handed. We wondered whether they would live to regret not taking the three points on offer as a tense first half came to a close with Bargoed retaining their narrow lead at 6-7.

Pontypool needed a good start to the second half but they got completely the opposite. A high tackle presented Bargoed with a simple penalty in front of the posts which Jones comfortably converted and the defecit had increased to 6-10.

For the next half an hour the game was almost all about Pontypool attacking and Bargoed defending. The Pontypool attack was not at its fluent best but that was to a large extent due to a ferocious and well-organised Bargoed defence. Early in the second half Pooler replaced second row Hodge with flanker Herbert and Bargoed got the upper hand in the scrums. This gave the away side a valuable source of penalties which enabled them to get some relief from the incessant Pooler attacks.

Pontypool kept on trying but there did not seem any way through the Bargoed defence and, as time ticked on, things got increasingly frantic. Pooler conceded a number of turnovers at the breakdown to the effective Bargoed backrow as they got into promising positions and there were knock-ons aplenty as the fierce Bargoed tackling took its toll. The Pooler faithful were beginning to fear the worst but they continued to roar their team on. The Bargoed fans cheered every thumping tackle.

As we got into the last ten minutes, there were signs that the Pontypool ball carriers, with Herbert and Stratton to the fore, were beginning to make some progress. The Bargoed defence was certainly not going to give up that was for sure and Pooler badly needed a spark of inspiration.

Then came the moment that turned the match on its head. The moment that the Pooler fans had been praying for. Herbert made good ground and found support on his elbow. The referee raised his hand to indicate a penalty to Pooler for a high tackle. It was Pontypool advantage and what an advantage they took. A good pass put Lloyd Lewis in the clear on the Bargoed twenty-two and there was only one outcome. Lewis sprinted down the left touchdown and gleefully ran around behind the posts to score the critical try. The conversion from Meek was a formality and the home side had taken the lead at 13-10. The Pooler Army was in ecstasy.

There was still time for Bargoed to hit back but Pooler had a spring in their step and were not about to let the visitors spoil their day. The Pontypool defence was more than a match for the Bargoed attacks and, for the most part, managed to pen the visitors in their own half. Nevertheless, it was a relief when they referee blew the final whistle and Pooler players and fans could celebrate a crucial victory. Final score: Pontypool 13 Bargoed 10.

Phew, that was hard work for the Pooler players and fans alike. Bargoed were as tough an opposition as you would wish to come up against. That Pontypool managed to pull off this victory tells you everything you need to know about the spirit in the squad. There is no doubt that a loss would have put a serious dent in Pooler’s promotion hopes as Bargoed do not look like a side that is going to lose many matches this season and Bedwas are continuing to go well. The table below shows just how tight the race to the end of the season is going to be with Bedwas looking threatening in second place. Bargoed entertain Bedwas in a couple of weeks which will be another crucial match

	P	W	D	L	BP	Points
Pontypool	11	11	0	0	10	54
Bedwas	9	9	0	0	7	43
Bargoed	10	8	1	1	9	43

Pontypool’s next fixture is a visit to Pandy Park in two weeks’ time. Cross Keys are recovering after a sticky start to the season and, as always, will give Pooler plenty to think about.

Come on Pooler!