Pooler Squeeze Home by the Skin of their Teeth

There are few better places to see the trees in their autumn colours than Pontypool Park. Even though it was a grey day with rain threatening the Park looked a picture. Pontypool entertained Ystrad Rhondda in their latest Championship match and, on recent form, few expected other than a Pontypool victory. As we all know, in a two horse race it is often not as simple as that.

Pontypool kicked off playing up the slope in the first half and played some enterprising rugby for the opening minutes but failed to make any impact on the scoreboard. It was very soon evident that Ystrad Rhondda were a well-organised and highly motivated team who had come to Pontypool to take the spoils. Nevertheless, it was Pontypool who scored first when Ieuan Jones broke from a five metre scrum to power over after about a quarter an hour of highly competitive rugby. Jarvis converted to give the home side a 7-0 advantage.

Ystrad Rhondda had much the better of the rest of the first half. Pooler failed to make much impact on a well disciplined defence and the Ystrad Rhondda backs looked the livelier in attack. The scrums were a real thorn in the referee’s side as virtually every one of many had to be reset.

Ystrad’s kicking game was also more effective and it was from a loose Pontypool kick that the away team’s winger Webber ran the ball back from within his own twenty two. The cover finally got to him after a mazy run but he was able to kick ahead and the chasing Rowley got the ball down for a try. Although the try was unconverted, you could sense that Ystrad’s confidence had been boosted (7-5).

With Pooler unable to string much rugby together in the second quarter, Ystrad took full advantage with a penalty from Truelove and just before half time scored a well-constructed try by Morgan which was converted by Truelove. This gave the visitors a fully deserved 7-15 lead at the interval.

No doubt with the coaching team’s advice ringing in their ears, Pooler came out for the second half having made no less than four changes to their line up. The one thing they needed to do was to get off to a good start but exactly the opposite happened. The visitors ran back another loose Pontypool clearing kick and Morgan went over for his second try in the right corner. An excellent conversion from Truelove gave Ystrad a commanding 7-22 lead.

Pontypool had to respond quickly and that is exactly what they did. A few minutes later they were hammering away at the visitor’s try line. A yellow card for Ystrad’s Davies certainly helped as Pooler drove a lineout and Matthews plunged over for a try. The conversion from Jarvis sailed between the posts and Pooler were back in touch at 14-22 with more than half an hour remaining.

A few minutes later, however, Truelove landed another penalty to give the away side an eleven point lead at 14-25. This was going to hard going for a disjointed Pooler team.

The rest of the game was really dominated by Pooler’s increasingly desperate attempts to try and crack a strong Ystrad defence which gave them little breathing space. As the minutes clicked down, so Pooler’s efforts became more and more frantic and their error count increased. The Pooler supporters were beginning to give up hope as we got into the last ten minutes.

Pooler continued to attack and Ystrad began to leak penalties which Pooler used to keep the pressure on with kicks for the corner. After some powerful driving by the forwards, Matthews finally managed to touch the ball down for a try which Jarvis converted. The Ystrad lead had been cut to just four points with little time remaining.  They would, however, be without Williams who was yellow carded due to the high penalty count.

The crowd really got behind the home team and Pooler responded by taking play back to deep within the Ystrad twenty two. Pooler continued to use their forwards to drive and more penalties were awarded against the away team. Eventually, the referee had seen enough and awarded Pontypool a penalty try. Pooler had taken the lead in the dying minutes (28-25) when it looked like they had been heading for defeat.

The disappointment was all too much for Ystrad’s Morgan who argued just a little too vehemently with the referee and was shown a red card. The visitors were down to thirteen men but such had been their fighting qualities you would still not put it past them to sneak a draw with a last gasp penalty. Pooler however were not about to let this one slip. Full time Pontypool 28 : Ystrad Rhondda 25.

This was a real tough test for Pontypool against highly motivated and skilful opposition. For most of the match the visitors looked the better side and can consider themselves unlucky not to come away with a victory. The well prepared Ystrad defence did not allow Pooler any room to play the expansive rugby that they would like to play. No doubt there will plenty of analysis done on the whys and wherefores of a disappointing performance in the Pontypool training sessions.

Pooler can take solace from a fighting comeback and a bonus point victory in a league where every single point is precious in the race for promotion. So well done for that.

Next up for Pooler is a visit to Glamorgan Wanderers next Saturday. Pooler can expect another stern examination of their promotion credentials there.

Come on Pooler!