The new season has now officially started with Pontypool hosting Llandovery in their first league match of the season in SRC. Pooler finished at the bottom of the league last season while Llandovery are the reigning champions of SRC so it was a great chance for Pooler to assess their strength after the various changes in personnel and an encouraging pre-season. The match was being shown live on TV so there was a later kick-off time than usual.
The pitch
at Pontypool looked in perfect condition with the brown colour of previous weeks
transformed to green by the recent rain. The air was a little damp and there
was a gusty wind blowing mainly across the pitch but conditions were good for
running rugby.
Llandovery
kicked off playing down the slope in the first half. Pooler fielded and found
touch near halfway. From the lineout, Llandovery spread the ball wide and their
threequarters cut the Pooler defence to ribbons with Potter touching down under
the posts. Potter converted and Pooler were 0-7 down within a couple of
minutes. This was far from the start that they had envisaged with the team and
supporters alike looking stunned.
Pooler bounced
back immediately. Llandovery conceded a penalty that was kicked to the right
corner. The home forwards pounded away from the lineout and a it was business
as usual as Scott Matthews touched down from short range. Lloyd converted and
the damage had been repaired (7-7).
Pontypool
then took charge of the game for the rest of the first quarter. Morgan Allen
was held up over the line after more good work by the forwards. Eventually the
pressure told and it was the Pooler backs that showed what they could do.
Powerful running resulted in space being created for right wing Cole to cross
in the right corner. The conversion failed but Pooler had taken a deserved 12-7
lead.
The
Drovers are not champions for nothing and rather took charge as Pooler went
through a sticky patch and were guilty of making too many mistakes. A scrum
penalty gave the away side field position and the forwards did the rest with an
unconverted try for flanker Tom Curry (12-12). This was followed by a second
try for Potter on the half hour when a kick from Lloyd was charged down. This
try also went unconverted but the Drovers were back in the lead (12-17). Five minutes later another kick was charged
down and Llandovery almost scored in the corner. A Pooler scrum on their own
line went wrong and Drovers scrum half Lewis sneaked in for a try. Potter
converted and it was 12-24 and Pooler looking in disarray.
To their
credit, Pooler bounced back as the game looked to be slipping away. A clever
kick ahead saw Pooler get deep into the Drovers’ twenty-two. The forwards piled
on the pressure and lock Antrobus touched down for a much needed score for the
home side. Lloyd converted and at 19-24 the scoreboard looked more encouraging.
It would
have been good if Pooler could have not conceded any more points before half
time. Llandovery wing Liam Morgan had other ideas and in a remarkable mazy run
he left far too many Pooler defenders grasping at air to score a splendid solo
try. The try was again unconverted but at halftime Llandovery held a useful
19-29 lead after scoring five tries to Pooler’s three.
Pontypool
would have the benefit of the slope in the second half but would need to cut
out the errors if they were to trouble the champions. The Drovers backs looked
dangerous whenever they got the ball.
Pooler
started the second half purposefully and quickly build up a head of steam
keeping the away side penned in their own half. Around five minutes had elapsed
when Pooler flanker Williams touched down after strong work by the forwards.
Lloyd converted and Pooler were within a
score at 26-29 and had the try bonus point in the bag.
The
momentum was now with Pooler and they were soon back in the Drovers twenty-two
applying pressure through the pack. This time the ball was spread wide and
Rosser touched down and again Lloyd converted. Pooler were back in the lead at
33-29 with a quarter of an hour of the second half played.
Llandovery
were not about to lie down and their dangerous backs took them right up to the
Pooler goal line. In the move, Llandovery scrum half Lewis was injured and this
resulted in a lengthy delay as he was attended to and left the filed on a
stretcher. We hope that he has a speedy recovery.
Play
resumed with a scrum on the Pooler line and it was Llandovery prop Hughes who
touched down near the posts after the forwards had pounded away. The try was
converted by Maynard and Llandovery had retaken the lead at 33-36.
Back came
Pooler and they worked their way down field to deep into the away side’s twenty
two in this see-saw match. The Pooler forwards applied immense pressure and
eventually it told as Antrobus touched down for his second try of the match.
Lloyd again converted to put Pooler back in the lead at 40-36.
We were now deep into the fourth quarter and the tension was mounting. The Llandovery backs
were unleashed once more and almost scored in the left corner. The Pooler
defence was in disarray and a cross kick found right wing Morgan unmarked and
he touched down after a rather awkward bounce of the ball. Crucially for Pooler
the try was unconverted and although the Drovers were back in the lead it was
only be one point at 40-41.
There was
not much time left as Pooler marched back down the field looking determined to
grab a victory. It was frenetic stuff as Pooler tried everything and the
Llandovery defence scrambled desperately to keep them out. Finally, Llandovery
conceded a penalty right in front of their posts that Lloyd gleefully
converted. Pooler were back in the lead at 43-41 but there were still a few
minutes left on the clock.
Those of
us who went to Llandovery for the cup match last season had bitter memories of a
similar situation when Pooler conceded a last minute penalty that cost them the match. This time however
Pooler managed the situation brilliantly and retained possession and wound the
clock down to the final whistle. Final score Pontypool 43 : Llandovery 41
What a
game and what a way to start the season. Thirteen tries scored in total with
Pooler scoring six to Llandovery’s seven. Llandovery will surely rue missing those
four conversions. This was a great advertisement for SRC as both sides
contributed fully to a scintillating match. For Pontypool there is plenty to
build on as the new members of the squad bed in but it was very encouraging to
say the least so well done to everyone involved.
The next match will again be at home against Bridgend Ravens
next Saturday. A chance to avenge that salutary
defeat away at Bridgend last season.
Come on Pooler!
