The One That Got Away from Pooler

I have to confess to being a bit pink around the gills this morning after my trip to Costa del Rodney yesterday. I was at a sun drenched Rodney Parade to watch Pontypool play Newport for the third time this season. This time in a league match with the score 1-1 so far. The Bisley stand proved to be a veritable sun trap with a good crowd bathed in the late March sunshine.

Pontypool playing against a gentle breeze made all  the early running. The played at a pace that left Newport looking cumbersome and shell-shocked as they moved the ball wide at every opportunity. Pooler opened the scoring after ten minutes when Morgan Lloyd intercepted in midfield and sprinted home to touch down under the posts. Meek converted and Pooler had stormed to a 0-7 lead.

Pooler continued to dominate and moved the ball wide to the left wing where Marcus Jones made ground and found Pat Lewis in support. Lewis touched down for a try to mark his return to the team after an injury layoff. Meek converted and Pooler were 0-14 to the good.

Better news still was to follow after twenty five minutes when Rosser stormed down the right wing to beat four or five defenders to score wide out. Meek again converted and Pooler were in dreamland at 0-21 and three tries in the bag.

It wasn’t all to be plain sailing for Pooler though. A couple of penalty concessions gave the home side field position and their strong pack applied pressure that led to tries for Andrew and Roach. Both tries were converted by Lloyd and Pooler’s early lead had been significantly dented (14-21). Meek settled the Pooler nerves with a penalty as a pulsating first half drew to a close. Half time score Newport 14 : Pontypool 24.

Pooler made a great start to the second half when a run by Pat Lewis down the right touchline led to him scoring an excellent try in the corner. The conversion failed but Pooler had increased their lead to fifteen points at 14-29. A few minutes later they increased their lead to eighteen points with a neat dropped goal from Meek (14-32).

Newport had rung the changes as they emptied their bench and it made a difference. They fully capitalised on Pooler handling errors and the awkward bounce of the ball to score two converted tries through Hope and Andrew in double quick time. This completely changed the complexion of the game with Pooler’s lead cut to just four points at 28-32. Momentum had swung and you were left wondering whether Pooler could hang on for a win rather than how many were they going to win by.

Pooler were making errors and missing tackles that they hadn’t done in the first half. The kick chase was not getting to those box kicks and allowing the dangerous Newport backs to run the ball back.  It was getting tense that was for sure. An excellent penalty from halfway by Meek opened up the lead to seven points at 28-35 but Newport were still within a score.

The equalising score was not long coming when Davies touched down wide out on the left. Lloyd converted and the scores were tied at 35-35 with Newport looking the more likely to snatch victory. It was indeed Newport who took the lead for the first time in the match with a penalty from Lloyd with little time remaining (38-35).

Pooler tried desperately to respond and were awarded a penalty just inside their half. They spurned the chance of  equalising and went for the win with a kick to touch. The lineout drill didn’t work out and that was that. Final score Newport 38 : Pontypool 35.

This was an excellent game of rugby with the result in doubt right until the final whistle. Pooler will be left wondering how they managed to lose a game that they seemed to have taken by the scruff of the neck. Still Pooler played some scintillating rugby in the first half and there is plenty of reason to feel positive. The modern playing surfaces have added a pace to the game and an even more unpredictable bounce of the ball. Something in me still yearns for those titanic battles in the mud that we used to know and love.

It looks now likely that Pooler will finish in fifth place in the league with three games left which is a creditable performance. Of course, there are no prizes for finishing top of the league only home advantage in the end of season playoffs. It does feel a bit ridiculous that you can finish bottom of the league and still win the SRC Trophy at the end of the season. The bottom four clubs play off for two places in the quarter finals. It is then a knockout to see who wins the trophy. If Pooler do finish fifth they will play away at the team finishing fourth which at the moment is Newport.

Next up for Pooler is a home game against Swansea on Thursday evening. The short turnaround will be a challenge after such a titanic struggle yesterday.

Come on Pooler!