A Gwent derby is usually a tight and hard fought
affair and over the years there have many such matches between Pontypool and
Ebbw Vale. Somehow when two valley teams meet each other it seems even more
fierce no matter what league position the protagonists hold. So it was that
Pontypool visited Ebbw Vale on a Thursday evening in a televised game.
This game certainly lived up to expectations in terms
of aggression and commitment with the local rivals going at it hammer and tongs
right from the off. No one could say that the technical quality was of the highest
order with errors and penalties dominating a scrappy first quarter. What was
abundantly clear was that Ebbw Vale had dominance in the scrum where Pontypool
conceded three penalties. Fortunately for Pooler this only led to them
conceding three points through a Lloyd penalty. That left the score at 3-0
after twenty minutes bossed by the home
team.
Pooler equalised a couple of minutes later through a
Jarvis penalty (3-3) and brought on Kelleher-Griffiths to shore up the scrum.
This made the battle more evenly contested but both sides were guilty of not
being able to take the few chances that were created. The Ebbw Vale backs
looked the livelier outfit and as the first half drew to a close they struck.
Meek made a break from around halfway and although he was tackled Ebbw spread
the ball from the ensuing ruck and Rees-Weldon was able to scamper over in the right
corner. The conversion failed but the home side were able to leave the field at
half time with a narrow 8-3 lead.
Pooler started the second half in fine style and
worked their way down into the home twenty two. A slick planned move from a
lineout saw Matthews break and find the supporting Morgan Lloyd with a clever
pass. Lloyd dotted down and Jarvis converted which meant that Pooler were in the lead 8-10.
Both teams have fine goal kickers in Jarvis and Lloyd
but both found the conditions difficult to master with each missing shots that
they would normally expect to convert. Nevertheless, Lloyd did manage to convert
a penalty for a high tackle fifteen minute into the half which put the home
team back in the lead (11-10).
The hard-fought skirmishes continued with Ebbw Vale perhaps
looking the more likely to score. The benches were used to bolster both teams
with the final result very much in doubt. With ten minutes remaining, it was
the Ebbw Vale backs who broke the deadlock. Lloyd made a good break and he was
finally brought down in the Pooler twenty-two. Ebbw Vale recycled the ball and
found Phillips on the right wing. He touched down in the corner for Ebbw’s
second try and although the conversion failed the gap in the scores had grown
to 16-10.
Pooler were still within a converted try but although
they huffed and puffed they could not find the penetration or continuity to
crack the aggressive home defence. Ebbw Vale also created a chance or two in
the last few minutes but when the final whistle was blown the score remained the
same. Final score Ebbw Vale 16 : Pontypool 10.
Over the eighty minutes Ebbw Vale were the better side
and deserved their victory. Pooler created little in attack but never stopped
contesting with fierce intensity. They do come way with a losing bonus point
which is some reward for all their effort. Ebbw Vale go on to the play-offs and
good luck to them there. Pooler have two more league matches with the next one
against Merthyr at home next Wednesday. This is closely followed by the trek to
RGC on the following Saturday. Fifth place in the Premiership is very much up
for grabs which would be a brilliant effort for the first season back at this
level.
It has finally been confirmed, to nobody’s surprise,
that Cardiff will take the tenth place in the new Elite League for next season.
When you look at the ten teams involved it does seem that the Welsh Valleys are
poorly represented. At the start of the blog, I mentioned how local derbies between
Valley clubs were particularly hard-fought and eagerly anticipated. Well in the
Elite League there will now just be Ebbw vale and Pontypool representing the
valleys. No Pontypridd, no Merthyr, no Neath it is a crying shame. I never
liked the idea from the start and now I like it even less!
Come on Pooler let us finish the season in style!.
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