6th League win on the bounce

Pontefract v Roundhegians
Saturday 20th February at Moor Lane
It is an old footballing cliché that ‘It was a game of two halves ‘ but it certainly fitted Pontefract’s performance on Saturday where they turned round a 10-20 deficit at half time to score 5 excellent tries in the second half to go out 41-27winners at the final whistle.
They began the game at pace and were always trying to get the ball to the Beecher twins on the wings. The Roundhegian’s pack responded with some powerful runs up the middle and they were the first to get their names on the scoreboard when Pontefract were penalised for not releasing in the tackle which resulted an easy penalty kick 25 metres out , score 0-3 to the visitors
Pontefract responded almost immediately . On 12 minutes Pontefract Niall Sandwith pinched a line out on the visitors 22 and gave quick ball to Walker who got the backs moving . Full back Sanderson joined the line at pace before passing to Luke Beecher who threaded the touchline side before crossing in the corner. The try was unconverted score 5-3.
Roundhegians battered their way into the Pontefract 22 but aggressive defence from whole of the Pontefract team kept them out but were caught out when the ball squirted loose out of a ruck for the Roundhegians second row to pick up and drive over for a converted try . 5-10 to the visitors.
Again Pontefract hit back through their backs , Luke Beecher gathered a Roundhegians kick and made valuable yards from a jinking run into centre field. Quick ball to Glenn Boyd found him with a gap infront which he exploited breaking 2 tackles then used Beecher who was back on his feet to score out on the left. His conversion hit the posts but reflected Pontefract’s luck by bouncing out. Score 10-10. Pontefract were again behind 10 minutes later again from a penalty. Score 10-13. Pontefract kept trying to force the ball wide but increasingly suffered from the referee’s interpretation of the release the ball rule which allowed the visitors to dominate the rest of the half. On the half hour mark a speculative pass was picked off by the Roundhegian number 13 to score a converted interception try under the posts. Score 10-20 and only resolute defence kept the half time score down as the Roundhegian pack scented another try.
The unrewarded efforts of the Roundhegians pack seemed to drain their energy and Pontefract began to find spaces and the pack began to produce quick ruck ball and the Pontefract backs began to show their class and pace. A golden 20 minute spell produced 5 tries all scored through slick handling at pace. On 50 minutes Skipper Craig Fawcett was on hand to round his opposite number after good work by Boyd and Josh Beecher down the right side. The extras points were added 17-20.
On 60 minutes Josh Beecher again broke through on the left wing. The three johns in the back row , Burrow , Hill and Fradgley cleared out the ruck for the ball to be spun wide by scrum half Josh Walker who began to shine using the quick ball. Sanderson joined the line after Chris sant punched through the centre to sprint between the opposite centre and wing to score in the right corner. The try was converted score 22-20 .
Three minutes later Jonny Hill stole a ball at the tail of a Roundhegian line out and drove into centre field on the opposition 22 , again good support play produced quick ball for Sanderson to score his second try of the afternoon. Score 29-20.
From the kick off Matty Williams drove up field sucking in defenders , going to ground he released the ball which was quickly went through the hands of Walker , Boyd and Sant for skipper Fawcett to break the Roundhegians line , he was hauled down just short of the line , taking quick ball Boyd feinted to run right before switching back left and finding big Jonathon Scholey rumbling up in support and taking 4 defenders with him over the line. The conversion was missed to make the score 34-20. Moments later a wide pass found Chris Sant at pace and he split the opposition defence again , he found Jonny Burrow in support who tied in three defenders as he drove into the 22 going to ground he found Josh Walker at his heels to take a pop up pass and scamper over near the posts. Ian Mattison who had come onto the wing added the extras to take the score to 41 -20 with ten minutes to play.
Roundhegians then managed to get their hands on the ball and ran through the phases gradually forcing Pontefract onto their own line . They managed to force 3 five metre attacking scrums but Pontefract held them out driving the scrum back and their ball carriers back over the gain line. In the last minute of the game a penalty gave the visitors an attacking line out on the Pontefract 5 metre line , again Pontefract held the initial drive pushing the opposition back but a clever switch right then left made a gap for the visitors to score a converted consolation score. Pontefract then wound down the injury time clock the final score being 41-27. Pontefract now move on to play second place Keighley next week and will have to be on top form from the first whistle if they are to break down their formidable defence.