Just a week on from their remarkable 61-42 defeat in a try fest in Colwyn Bay last Saturday, Pooler faced RGC again but this time in the more familiar surroundings of Pontypool Park on good old grass. A decent crowd had gathered with no one really sure what to expect. It was a dry, blustery day with the wind favouring the team playing up the slope. Pooler, however, were playing down the slope in the first half.
Straight from the kick off Pooler went on the offensive.
A deliberate knock-on by RGC snuffed out a promising attack and after a long
consultation with a linesman the referee decided that a penalty to the home
side was sufficient sanction. Pooler kicked for the corner and took full advantage
of the penalty when Ieuan Jones ploughed over for a try from the ensuing
lineout. The conversion failed but Pooler were off and running within a few
minutes of the kick-off (5-0).
The next ten minutes or so belonged to RGC as the
North Walians responded in kind. A well-worked try for flanker Fackrell was
converted by McBryde to give them the lead (5-7). RGC followed this up with
another strong attack which Pooler struggled to keep at bay. Eventually Pooler
were forced to give away a penalty that McBryde dispatched with ease to
increase the lead to 5-10.
Pooler’s response was immediate. A powerful charge by
Morgan Allen scattered RGC defenders like ninepins before he was eventually
brought to a halt deep inside the RGC twenty-two. His forward colleagues
carried the move on with Hill touching down for the try that was converted by
Meek. This gave Pooler a narrow lead at 12-10. Pooler’s lead was increased when
Meek converted a penalty as the incident
packed first quarter came to an end (15-10).
A yellow card for Pooler scrum half Flanagan for a
deliberate knock on gave RGC a numerical advantage and slowed Pooler’s
momentum. A monster penalty from his own ten metre line saw RGC fullback Earl
Jones close the deficit to 15-13.
There followed a strong finish to the first half by
Pooler that really decided the outcome of the match. The forwards had been
carrying powerfully throughout the half with Morgan Allen to the fore ably
backed up by the rest of the pack. Pooler worked their way into the RGC
twenty-two and after a period of sustained pressure Chapman forced his way over
for a try that Meek converted (22-13). This was closely followed by Pooler’s
bonus point try. This time, after tremendous driving play by the forwards, it was
centre, Mahoney, who got the touch down. Meek added the conversion and as the
half ended Pooler had built a sixteen point lead at 29-13.
The second half started badly for the home side with
rather lack-lustre defending giving RGC centre Cross an almost free passage to
the line. McBryde converted and what had seemed to be a comfortable lead had
been slashed in a couple of minutes (29-20). After fifteen minutes of the
second half a Meek penalty increased Pooler’s lead to twelve points at 32-20.
The rest of the second half was frenetic but scoreless.
RGC tried their best to fight back but a combination of a good defence from
Pooler and their uncharacteristic handling errors stymied all their efforts. A
plethora of substitutions by both sides did not help the flow of the game. It
was far from a relaxing watch for the Pooler fans who knew that a try from RGC
would put them within a score.
Pooler were perhaps guilty of not using the wind to
their advantage with RGC ever ready to run the ball back if there were any
loose kicks. Pooler, for their part, attacked sporadically but could not manage
to get the try that would have made the game safe. They did have a couple of
penalty shots at goal that could have earned an extra bonus point that went
astray. All in all, the fourth quarter was frustrating for both sides. Final
score Pontypool 32 : RGC 20.
This was a great effort form Pontypool to bounce back
from last week’s defeat by the same opposition. RGC who scored seven tries the
previous week could only manage two this time. This was testimony to Pooler’s
defensive effort. In attack, Pooler mainly relied on forward power which got
the job done. A much needed victory will put Pooler in good heart for the trip
to Carmarthen next weekend.
At regional level, all four Welsh regions went down to
defeats – albeit the Dragons and the Scarlets by the narrowest of margins. With
the Autumn internationals just around the corner, Gatland and co will need to
put their thinking caps on if Wales are to get a victory or two.
We Pooler fans have the trip to Carmarthen Quins to
think about first and then the visit of the
old enemy Newport to the Park.
Come on Pooler!
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