Skipper Fawcett grabs 4
Pontefract travelled to West Leeds on Saturday with a depleted pack but still hoped to keep their winning run on track but having to face an opposition pack with a distinct weight advantage and a stiff breeze certainly did not suit Pontefract’s running game.
The opening minutes saw West Leeds trying to use their forward advantage to drive up the middle of the pitch but robust tackling stopped them making much progress. On 10 minutes a tackle from Chris Sant resulted in a spilled ball which he quickly retrieved and fed to Jonny Hill who broke into West Leeds half drawing defenders in, before going to ground he slipped the ball to skipper Craig Fawcett who raced away defeating the full back to score 15 metres from the posts. Ian Mattison made light of the stiff wind and added the extras.
Three minutes later Pontefract were again on the score board. A long quick pass from a ruck by Callum Watts gave space for Glenn Boyd to weave a bit of magic to put Ross Shand through a hole in the defence, Boyd then looped round to take a return pass and cross near the posts giving Mattison a much easier kick , score 0-14 to Pontefract.
Shortly after, an injury to prop Josh Hough meant a hastily re arrangement of Pontefract’s front row with Jonny Hill moving to prop where he did a sterling stint for the rest of the game. This meant West Leeds began to get on top in the line out and scrum but could not really make the advantage tell. When they were caught not releasing in the tackle Mattison duly added the 3 extra points. These were quickly cancelled out when Pontefract were pulled for obstruction on a backs move.
Just on half time a bit of confusion on a lineout call allowed West Leeds to take a quick throw in and a missed tackle gave them the opening to cross near the posts to make the half time score 10-17.
Pontefract began the second half like they began the first by challenging the West Leeds pack in the loose . A superbly weighted kick from Boyd just made the ten metre line where Rob Stringer re collected the ball, he drove forward slipping the ball to Jonny Hill who made it to the 22 before being hauled down , he found support from the Pontefract back row allowing quick ball to Fawcett who went on a looping outside run between two West Leeds backs. The tricky conversion bounced back off the posts in West Leeds favour , but Pontefract had secured the bonus point.
The opposition pack were making the most of their scrummaging advantage but found it difficult to turn this to territory as Beddis , Sant , Burrow and Stringer stopped any attack on the gain line . On the 6 minute mark they turned over a ball in a ruck which sent Fawcett jinking away on a 30 metre run . He found Rich Dedicoat in support on his outside and the winger obliged by adding another try. This time Mattison found the range to add the extras.
Pontefract then had to weather a 15 minute storm as the West Leeds pack pinned them back in their own 22 but they just could not break Pontefract’s defensive line with Phil Lane doing hard graft in the rucks and John Fradgley ,Rich Scott and Niall Sandwith challenging every lineout. Although they were awarded a number of penalties West Leeds kept going for the elusive try rather than the penalty kick and Pontefract kept tackling them backwards. On 18 minutes West Leeds accepted a penalty chance and added 3 points when Pontefract were caught not rolling away from the tackle. Score 13-29 .
West Leeds persisted with the forward game but again made little headway. Rob Stringer managed to rip a ball clear and broke from the half way line . He found support from Hill who then fed Jack Beddis who ran a diagonal line for the corner drawing 3 defenders . Just as he was tackled he slipped a one handed reverse pass to Ian Mattison who squeezed over in the corner and narrowly missed adding the extras.
From the restart and ten minutes left West Leeds finally managed to break the Pontefract line. A cross field penalty kick found touch in the corner and they set up driving maul from the line out that crossed near the posts but they missed with the conversion .
Pontefract were not finished they regained possession from the kick off, Jack Beddis drove on before feeding Glenn Boyd who jinked into the 22 before feeding Fawcett who set off on his trade mark outside loop then dummied the defence to run round the back of the posts. The extras were added .
Pontefract then managed to control the last few minutes of the game which ended 18-41 in their favour .
They are now second in Yorkshire Div 2 , 1 point behind leaders Moortown.

If you would lie to watch the game from Saturday, please follow the link here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMA1w8CniQ8