Pooler Dig for Victory

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the trip to Narberth yesterday for Pontypool’s match. It has always been a trip that I have enjoyed and the matches against Narberth have normally been close and high scoring affairs. After making a visit to a hospital, I sat at home fretting as the clock moved on to 2.30pm. Fortunately there are the excellent twitter feeds coming in to keep us updated.

This was a really tense and exciting match that was clear. I am not sure that the tension is even worse as you stare at the phone waiting for news. The lead seemed to be changing every few minutes and Pontypool were up against it if they were to get the win they craved. Pooler led 18-19 at half time but then suddenly Narberth were back in the lead and Pooler had a man in the bin. I was trying to visualise what was going on – pure agony!

Anyway, everything turned out OK in the end with Pooler triumphing with a late flurry of scoring to win 28-36 and gain the all-important bonus point. Mission accomplished after what sounds like one hell of a match.

My roving reporter tells me that the smart Narberth backs gave Pooler a tough time while the Pooler forwards were on top. Sounds like the traditional East v West Wales encounter of yesteryear.

It has been a brilliant week for Pontypool with the cup win last Sunday and five points by default on Wednesday when Ystalyfera cried off capped off with this win at Narberth.

The Championship table shows that Bargoed can now only get a maximum of 112 points so Pooler have to muster another 14 points from their remaining six games to be sure of promotion if two teams are to be promoted.

Pontypool have two home games scheduled for next week. Bedwas on Wednesday and Beddau on Saturday. It really is a frenetic end to the season and it makes you wonder about the wisdom of the big gap in fixtures during the Autumn Internationals. Sadly, the pile up of fixtures and injuries has seen far too many games forfeited across Welsh rugby which will have an effect on the final league tables. It is shocking to see that Llanelli, a Premiership outfit, have failed to raise a team again.

As I have said before, all Pooler can do is take each game as it comes and keep their winning ways going.

Come on Pooler!

Cup of Joy for Pontypool

A cup final in Cardiff is a rare treat for the Pooler Army. The Army certainly answered the clarion call and flocked to Cardiff to see if Pontypool could get some silverware by defeating Ystrad Rhondda in the Championship Cup final. Pooler have always found Ystrad Rhondda to be lively and difficult opponents and so it was to prove on a cool blustery afternoon.

Suitably fed and watered we squeezed into the middle tier surrounded by excited and raucous Pooler supporters. It is an awe-inspiring arena but it is a shame to see acres of unoccupied seats. Still the Pooler and Ystrad fans were able to create a good atmosphere.

We are getting used to Pooler getting off to a bad start these days and I am afraid this was no exception. Within five minutes, after a promising start, a Pooler pass went astray. Ystrad seized their opportunity brilliantly and a few seconds later Phillips was dotting down for a try under the posts. The conversion from Truelove was a formality and Pooler knew they were going to be tested to the full (0-7).

After around fifteen minutes Pooler thought they had scored a try when Matthews dived over. After a ridiculous length of time, the TMO together with the referee finally disallowed the try. The outcome was a penalty to Pontypool and a yellow card for Morgan of Ystrad. Pooler opted for a scrum but made rather a mess of it.

Seven minutes later, Pooler had a scrum near the Ystrad line and this time they struck. The ball was passed out to the right and Smith touched down for a try. The conversion from Jarvis squared things up at 7-7.

The game was very scrappy with both sides guilty of making too many errors.  Pooler were hampered by the loss of Lloyd for a deliberate knock on but seemed to have the more powerful pack of forwards. They were on top in the scrums but the lineouts for both sides were haphazard.

Towards the end of the first half, Pontypool spread the ball wide as they attacked inside the Ystrad twenty two. Right wing Powell showed his strength to burst through would-be tackles to score a try in the corner. The conversion missed narrowly but Pooler were in the lead (12-7). There was still time for Ystrad to narrow the gap through a penalty from Truelove. This left the half time score at 12-10 to Pontypool after a tense and disjointed first period. It was anyone’s game that was for sure.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half saw more of the same with neither side able to seize control. This period did see Ystrad take a narrow lead by converting two penalties through Truelove against one from Jarvis (15-16).

Both teams made copious substitutions to see if that would break the deadlock. The game needed to be lifted by a moment of brilliance. This came on the hour with a great kick from Jarvis from a penalty that took play to within a few metres of the Ystrad line. A perfect position for a lineout drive and Pooler did that to perfection with Lloyd touching down. Jarvis converted and Pooler were back in the lead at 22-16 although Ystrad with their dangerous backs were still within a score.

The Pooler fans’ nerves were not helped when Nove received a yellow card for a deliberate knock on with a quarter of the match remaining. By now, however, the Pooler pack was on top and their defence was not giving Ystrad much breathing space. Another penalty from Jarvis increased Pooler’s lead to 25-16 and the Pooler Army were going to sing their heroes home. Pooler bossed possession and ate up the remaining time through the work of their forwards. The last action of the match saw Jarvis land another penalty to give a final score of Pontypool 28 : Ystrad Rhondda 16.

To the impartial observer this match was probably far from a classic but to Pontypool that did not matter. Ystrad Rhondda, had as expected, proved to be a fiercely competitive side and it had taken everything Pooler had to defeat them. So well done to everyone. It was a real joy to see Scott Matthews hoist the cup at the end of a titanic struggle.

There is no time to rest for Pontypool as they now have a really busy league programme ahead. They have two matches in the next five days starting with Ystalyfera at home on Wednesday and then Narberth away on Saturday. Things are still tight at the top and it has been confirmed that only two teams will be promoted giving a rather strange thirteen team Premiership. Pooler cannot afford to slip up as they enter this critical period.

Anyway, well done Pooler it was great to see us back in Cardiff after all those years.

Come on Pooler!

As a post script, I have to say I am mighty glad that we don’t have to put up with referrals to the TMO in our league. It seems to suck the life out of a game.

The Comeback Kings

Well, here were Pooler back in Bargoed facing another mighty challenge. This time it was a crunch league match rather than a cup tie. This was the third time the sides have met this season with Pooler winning the previous two after staging breathtaking comebacks after conceding early points. This match was vitally important for both as the two sides were slugging it out at the top of the Championship along with Neath with, as far as we know, only two promotion slots available. A victory for Pooler would put them in the box seat although there is still a lot of rugby to be played.

After a week of heavy rainfall, we were blessed with a warm sunny day and a pitch in decent condition. Bargoed kicked off and played down the slope with a breeze behind them in the first half and it was immediately clear that they were highly motivated and intent on ending Pooler’s unbeaten run. They applied all the early pressure as Pooler struggled to get going. Bargoed spurned a kickable penalty and set up a lineout close to the Pontypool line. Their ensuing lineout drive was compact and powerful and hooker Langley touched down for a try. Jones converted and the home side had a deserved 7-0 lead.

Pooler responded by putting together their first meaningful attack which was repelled just short or the line by strong defence and Bargoed marched back down the field. Around a quarter of hour into the match a clever kick pass from Jones was caught by the Bargoed right wing Evans and he touched down in the right corner. Jones converted and Bargoed were good value for their 14-0 lead. This, of course, was a repeat of what had happened in the previous encounters where Pooler had come on strong in the second half. For comfort I remembered the tale of the hare and the tortoise but I have to say Bargoed were well on top as the first quarter ended and Pooler were conceding far too many penalties to respond in a meaningful way.

Things began to look brighter in the second quarter as Pooler stirred their stumps and became more competitive. You sensed that the next score was going to be vitally important. The next score came just short of the half hour and it was a try for Pontypool. Good play by the backs saw Powell make ground down the right wing. Smith was on hand to take the scoring pass and touch down in the corner. The conversion from Jarvis was adjudged wide but that was a marginal decision. Still Pooler were back in the game at 14-5.

There was no further scoring in a far more evenly contested remainder of the first half.  It was still all to play for as the teams retired for their half time pep talks.

Bargoed started the stronger in the second half and it only took five minutes or so before Leighton Jones made changes from the bench. On came Scarfe, Jones and Walsh to help Pooler seize the initiative. This seemed to work as Bargoed started to concede penalties and Pontypool gained field position and more possession.

Fifteen minutes into the half, Pooler struck back. They kicked a penalty to the corner and after a powerful lineout drive Sweet touched down for their second try. Jarvis converted and Pooler had closed to two points at 14-12.

Pooler piled on the pressure but were still conceding penalties and the lineout was having problems. They did look the more likely to score but Bargoed were not taking it lying down so it was tense stuff. With around fifteen minutes left in the match, Pooler took the lead. The forwards battered away at the Bargoed line and it was Scarfe, the young Pooler hooker, who claimed the try under the posts. Jarvis converted and Pooler were now in the lead at 14-19.

Bargoed were far from done and a misfiring lineout from Pooler in the home twenty-two led to a Bargoed attack that took play to the other end of the pitch. Pooler defended stoutly despite losing Matthews to a yellow card and somehow managed to repel the Bargoed forward drives when a try seemed inevitable. A penalty against Bargoed gave welcome relief and Pooler rode out the duration of the yellow card.

With a few minutes left, Pooler worked their way into the Bargoed twenty two. A shrewd pass from Langdon picked out Mahoney running a brilliant angle and Mahoney galloped in to score near the posts. Jarvis converted and Pooler had a healthy lead and had secured a bonus point (14-26).

The match ended with Bargoed back on the attack but Pooler were not letting this one slip and managed to deny Bargoed a losing bonus point. Final score Bargoed 12 : Pontypool 26.

This was a tough encounter between two highly motivated teams. The atmosphere was tense and, although the quality was patchy at times, it was a game full of passion. Pooler did exceptionally well to recover from yet another scratchy start and yet again we saw the benefit of the depth of their squad. Pooler are now in a strong position at the top of the league with a sixteen point lead over Bargoed in third place with eight matches to play according to the WRU table. Pooler have now recorded the double over both their leading rivals which is a tremendous feat.

Next Sunday will see Pontypool take on Ystrad Rhondda in the final of the Championship Cup at the Principality Stadium. This is sure to be a fantastic occasion and Ystrad Rhondda will present a formidable challenge. I can’t wait!

Come on Pooler!

The Pooler Points Machine in Top Gear

Rugby on a sunny Easter day at Pontypool Park brings back a flood of memories. Unbelievable as it now sounds, Pontypool along with the other clubs played three of four matches over the Easter holiday period. These days we only have one match to look forward to and this was against long time opponents Glamorgan Wanderers in the Welsh Championship.

Pontypool played up the slope in the first half and started as if they wanted to pack three or four matches scoring into one. Just a few minutes after the kickoff they were awarded a penalty try as they shunted the Wanderers’ scrum back over their goal line (7-0). It was soon clear that the physicality of Pontypool’s defence and the pace and power of their backs were going to cause the Wanderers’ team unsurmountable difficulties. With just ten minutes gone, Pooler had racked up another two tries as first Thomas and then Powell cut through the defence. Thomas scored himself but Powell was tackled just short of the line and fed Langdon who scored in the corner. Jarvis failed narrowly with both conversions but Pooler were 17-0 to the good.

Pooler rather lost their concentration from the second kick-off and made a mess of clearing their line. So much so that Wanderers were able to score as prop Sully barged over for a try. Taylor converted and the gap was reduced to 17-7.

Pontypool retaliated in style when a planned move from a lineout saw Jones feed Mahoney to gallop in for a try which secured the bonus point. Normal service was resumed as Jarvis landed the conversion (24-7). As the first quarter ended, Powell showed his pace and power to score a brilliant solo try in the right corner. Jarvis converted and Pooler, all of a sudden, had increased their lead to 31-7.

Pooler struggled to get decent possession for a period as their lineout did not function well and they were guilty of the occasional handling error. On the half hour, however, Thomas burst through the away side’s defence to score from inside his own half and with the successful conversion it was now 38-7.

The Wanderers were still working hard and were not about to give up and, after a period of pressure, flanker Shinton bullocked over for a try that went unconverted (38-12). Again, Pooler struck back in some style running another two tries before half time. Skipper Herbert scored the first when he burst through the defence and showed his pace to score from just inside the Wanderers’ half. The second was scored by Smith after Pooler created a large overlap. Jarvis converted both tries and at half time Pontypool had amassed a half century of points to lead 52-12.

The second half brought more agony for the doughty Glamorgan Wanderers as Pooler continued to rack up the points. In the first few minutes a powerful forward drive saw Sweet touch down for a converted try (59-12). A couple minutes later a thrust from Nove was supported by Smith who scored his second try which was again converted by Jarvis (66-12).

Both Wanderers and Pooler were using their benches to refresh things and Pooler’s furious scoring rate slowed down as the changes bedded in. As the third quarter ended, the lively Powell, who had been almost too hot for the Wanderers to handle, made another superb break from long range. He was tackled but fed substitute scrum half Leonard who sprinted to touch down for Pooler’s eleventh try which was again converted by the metronomic Jarvis (73-12). Ten minutes later a quickly taken tapped penalty saw Sweet crash over for his second try and another successful conversion (80-12)

As the game entered the final ten minutes, we began to speculate on whether Pooler could bring up the century. Another cracking break from Powell found Price in support and the flanker scored under the posts leaving a simple conversion for Jarvis (87-12). A few minutes later a lineout in the Wanderers half saw substitute hooker Scarfe break around the front of the lineout. The ball was spread wide and found Thomas in space and he cantered in for his third try of the afternoon. The conversion brought Pooler to within touching distance of a century at 94-12.

Straight from the kick-off Price bumped off would-be tackles and charged down field. He was tackled but from the breakdown the ball was spread left and Nove squeezed in at the corner. This left a difficult conversion but Jarvis made light work of it to bring up the century (101-12).

The agony was not quite over for the brave Wanderers as from the last play of the game Jarvis  found his way to the line to score a try that he converted which gave a final score of Pontypool 108 : Glamorgan Wanderers 12.

Despite the Wanderers’ best efforts, this was a demolition with Pooler scoring sixteen tries. The Pooler backs were too hot to handle with a goodly proportion of the tries scored from long range. Even after such a convincing win, there are things to work on with two big games coming up in the next couple of weeks. First, there is the prospect of an away game against Bargoed which is guaranteed to be a tough examination. A win there would really put Pooler in the box seat for promotion but they have come unstuck there in the past. The following weekend sees Pooler take on Ystrad Rhondda in the Championship cup final in Cardiff. It is a great time to be a Pooler supporter!

Come on Pooler!      

Pooler Stand Firm in Tense Encounter

This was an afternoon when you could actually believe, for a while at least, that Welsh rugby is not in the terminal decline that is reported in the media. It was two evenly matched sides going toe to toe in front of a large vociferous and partisan crowd with something meaningful to play for. In this case it was two proud teams, Pontypool and Neath, battling in Ebbw Vale for a place in the Welsh Championship Cup Final at the Principality Stadium. No quarter asked for or given. This is my “bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more”.  

After all the rain that we have had over the previous weeks, the pitch was in remarkably good condition. This is of great credit to our hosts at Ebbw Vale who must have put in a load of hard work to ensure the match took place. The rain had disappeared thank goodness and the sun even poked through on a breezy afternoon. The fans made their way into the ground after swelling the bar takings and there was an air of expectancy as Pooler kicked off with the breeze assisting them in the first half.

It was Neath who probably had the better of a tense and scoreless first quarter as Pooler conceded rather too many penalties and suffered an early injury blow with the loss of loose head prop Cochrane. It was a remorseless physical battle with defences on top.

Gradually Pooler grew into the game and actually took the lead as the first quarter ended with a penalty from Jarvis (3-0). Jarvis followed that with another penalty eight minutes later to double P,ooler’s lead (6-0). It was then Neath’s turn to attack as they battered away at the Pooler line after kicking a penalty into touch. Tremendous Pooler defence kept them out and they retained their six point lead as an evenly contested first half ended.

This was still anyone’s game and Neath had the benefit of the breeze in the second half. A six point lead did not seem to be sufficient to those pessimists amongst the Pooler faithful. The early exchanges after half time were going to be crucial.

It was Pontypool who were to strike the first blow. Showing their attacking intent, they spurned a potential three points by kicking a penalty to the corner. A driven lineout saw substitute lock Price crash over for a try in the right corner. Jarvis slotted a fantastic conversion to give Pooler a useful, if not game winning, lead at 13-0.

Neath came storming back as we knew they would. Pooler fell foul of the referee and conceded a series of penalties. Williams kicked two of them and closed the gap to just seven points at 13-6 with more than a quarter of the match remaining. This was going to be a close-run thing as Neath had gained some momentum. Both teams used their benches and there was no letup in physicality as the match thundered on. The familiar “Neath, Neath, Neath” and “Pooler, Pooler, Pooler” war cries echoed around the terrace as the fans urged their teams on. It was tremendous stuff if a little tense.

With fifteen minutes or so remaining, Jarvis landed his third successful penalty after a high tackle by Neath to give Pooler breathing space (16-6). Pooler returned the favour with a high tackle of their own which led to a successful penalty kick from Williams and we were back to a one score game at 16-9 with three minutes of normal time remaining. A converted Neath try could result in extra time.

It was Pooler who found the energy to attack after a powerful scrum gave them field position. Thomas from Neath was guilty of a high tackle that earned him a yellow card and Jarvis who seemed to be the calmest person in the ground kicked the ensuing penalty (19-9). Surely the game now belonged to Pooler as we were in time added on by the referee.

Pooler were not about to rest on their laurels and attacked once more. A storming run by Herbert took play into the Neath twenty-two. Quick ball from the breakdown saw Scarfe, playing at flanker, give Smith the scoring pass for Pooler’s second try. Jarvis converted and the referee blew his whistle to bring a tremendous game to an end with Pooler winning 26-9. Cue wild celebrations for those of a Pontypool persuasion and generous applause from the Neath fans.

As in the two league encounters with Neath this season, it was Pontypool who came out on top by finishing the stronger which is testimony to their strong squad. The final score might be a bit flattering but Pooler certainly did deserve to win. Well done to Neath who made this a game to remember and hopefully we will be locking horns in the Premiership next season. The Pontypool fans and squad now have a cup final to look forward to at the Principality Stadium in three weeks. Heady times indeed.

It was great to have actual rugby to talk about rather than governance, structures and pathways. It would be good if the consultants and business people who are about to decide on the future of Welsh rugby could have observed what took place at Ebbw Vale. This is the essence and passion of Welsh rugby that needs to be preserved and built on.  

Next week Pontypool return to league action with a home game against Glamorgan Wanderers. There is still a whole lot of rugby to be played in a comparatively short period. As too often has been the case, the future of the Premiership is surrounded by doubts. We are still awaiting the ramifications of Llanelli’s withdrawal from the Premiership next season and whether there will be a so-called elite league. All Pooler can do is keep playing great rugby and forget about all the distractions.

Well done Pooler you did us proud – I’m looking forward to our trip to Cardiff!