EIGHT TRIES FOR POOLER

WRU Championship

Newcastle Emlyn 19 Pontypool 52

Pontypool ran in eight tries at Ddol Wiber and a half century of points but this game was far more competitive than the score suggests as for the first half hour it was the home side who were on the front foot.

The red and whites played some of their best rugby of the season with youngsters in the pack in the shape of hooker Lee Griffiths, second row Steff Lloyd, and Emlyn’s man of the match flanker Jon Hill very prominent.

It was the home side who opened the scoring when a Pooler attack broke down on the half way line. Emlyn, through Hill, turned the ball over and the ball was moved to centre Andrew Owens who burst through and fed Llyr Jones who threw a long inside pass to scrum half Dafydd Evans. This try was superbly converted by full back Shaun Leonard.

The response from Pooler was rapid as number eight Ben Sparks drove over  and another try followed soon after when full back Walsh broke through to set up Sparks for his second which was converted by fly half Mathew Lewis.

Their lead was short lived though as Emlyn bounced back when a Pooler attack floundered and the ball was swiftly transferred to winger Llyr Jones who needed no second invitation to outstrip the covering defenders and sprint fifty metres to score a try converted by Leonard.

Any thoughts Emlyn had of going into half time with a slender lead were quickly dispelled when Quick crossed for a try converted by Lewis and there was further woe a minute later when from a line out take hooker Ben Parry was carried over and this try was upgraded by Lewis.

The visitors started the second half in top gear, with their forwards winning the restart from their own kick, and the ball ended up in the hands of centre Kieron Meek who crossed for a try converted by Lewis. Emlyn replied and spent the next ten minutes camped in the Pooler half as they tried hard to break through a very well organised defence.

It took the visitors until the hour mark before they extended their lead when, against the run of play number eight Sparks crossed for his hat trick.

However unlike previous matches Emlyn did not allow their heads to drop and they spent the final quarter trying to add to their score. Prop Emrys Davies, number eight Brynmor Jones, and replacement hooker Dai Jones were prominent in a number of drives, as Emlyn went through a series of rucks in their efforts to break through.

With two minutes of normal time remaining the hosts finally crossed the whitewash when they caught and drove from a line out and hard working flanker Luke Hansford crossed for an unconverted try.

Pontypool finished strongly and crossed for two more tries to flatter the score, the first of these from a penalty try and the second from winger Lloyd Lewis which was again converted by Lewis.