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Pontypool Claim the win

5 Oct 2024

Pontypool 32 RGC 20

Saturday 5th October 2024

 

Both sides continued in the same form as last week, racking up the points in the opening minutes.

The homeside struck first when Ieuan Jones powered over, but the Gogs answered straight back when Dany Cross broke the line and set up Ethan Fackrell to run in . McBryde added the extras.

Up front the RGC scrum was dominant, and they were wining the penalties. McBryde added to the lead with 3 points.

From the restart the Morgan Allan collected and carried hard, before Dan Hills crossed the whitewash for the score. Meek converted.

The homeside were making hard yards, without having to work too hard to get them at times.

Meek was on target with a penalty minutes later.

Pooler were reduced to 14 men when Flanagan was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on. McBryde was unable to take advantage with a penalty, as it sailed wide.

Meek then had the chance with the boot himself, but he edged it to the side of the post.

The score was reduced when Sam Earl-Jones stepped up and smashed a 65-meter penalty over.

RGC would have been disappointed not to make the extra man count, and a mistake from the restart cost them.  Pooler were able to carry round the corners, edge to the line and hooker Connor Chapman came up with the try.  Meek again converted.

Passes weren’t finding hands, kicks were going out on the full and momentum was being lost for RGC and just before halftime they were on the ropes again when Joel Mahoney ran through to touchdown with Meek on target with the extras.

The Gogs needed a positive start to the 2nd half and they got it when captain Danny Cross found some space and grabbed the try with McBryde hitting the conversion but really that’s as good as it got for the visitors for the remaining 39 minutes.

Poolers flyhalf Meek hit a penalty on 53 minutes which turned out to be the final score of the game.

RGC just couldn’t get that attacking platform they defended well, with the tackle count rising minute on minute and when they did regain the ball they failed to keep it.

McBryde hit a pinpoint penalty to the corner but the resulting lineout was knocked on and Pooler were able to win the scrum penalty, kick 30 meters and build again.

When RGC did have ball in hand, it was in there own 22m line, so it wasn’t a danger for the homeside.

The pace of the game slowed to a near stop, and Pontypool didn’t need it to be any other way.  A selection of scrum restarts made it even slower,  but the Gohs couldn’t find that spark or foothold to pick up the ball or speed when it was needed.

RGC were looking for that score and fresh legs from the bench opened the game, with Tudur Jones and Harri Hughes trying to create that opening.

On the final whistle RGC did run the ball from the back and Celt Ffransis-Roberts found himself on the wing but was bundled into touch with the tryline in site and the game was over.

Director of Rugby Josh Leach “It is frustrating in some ways, after putting in a huge amount of effort in aspects of the game. A combination of our errors and Pontypool’s game cost us at times.  When the pace of the game was slow, we just couldn’t find our rhythm and that was disappointing.

We expect it to be similar next week at Ebbw Vale, and the boys have talked post game on making sure we learn from today, and we will need to do that if we want to go one better result wise”