Dinnington 28 – Pontefract 26

Dinnington 28 – Pontefract 26

On a blustery but sunny day Pontefract travelled to South Yorkshire to play Dinnington who were looking to revenge a late Pontefract victory in the earlier fixture at Moor Lane. The visitors played down the slope with a slight wind advantage and immediately went on the attack, running the home sides robust pack around and making inroads deep into the hosts territory. The first try came after 4 minutes when Jack Beddis supported a great move, engineered by Glen Boyd and Stewart Sanderson to lead 0-5 with the touchline conversion attempt by Liam Kaye hitting the post, then the bar, before failing to add the extras. After 11 minutes Rasher breezed over under the posts after a sizzling break by Richard Deddicote to stretch the lead to 0-12. Pontefract’s game plan to run the hefty home pack around was perfectly executed and were unlucky not to extend the lead with great breaks from Callum Watts and Andy Coleman. Dinnington’s heavy forwards began to tire and from a line out Pontefract scored a delightful try when Jack Beddis added his second after some clinical backs play orchestrated by Liam Kaye. Converted to extend the lead to 0- 19. The home side rallied and after earning a series of penalties they drove over from a line out to reduce the score to 7 – 19. As the interval approached some outstanding attacking play by Kaye saw Sanderson crash over after a slick pass from Andy Coleman to lead 7 – 26. The hosts had a final assault on the Ponte line but was denied a score with some great work from Josh Hough. From the resulting 5m scrum Dinnington were bizarrely awarded a penalty try and a yellow card for Potts which infuriated the travelling fans and gave the home side a way back into the game. 14-26

The second half started brightly for Pontefract who continued to play some enterprising rugby through the backs assisted by a bullocking run from back rower Tad Nyanjowa. An interception try was called back for a knock on as Ponte continued to press. A serious injury to a Dinnington player resulted in a long delay and the match having to be restarted on another pitch. This gave the home forwards time to catch their breaths and the official to lose focus and completely ruin the remainder of game with some very strange interpretations that frustrated and angered both sides and sets of supporters. No rugby was played for the next 20 minutes as play was impossible with the number of penalties that were awarded, Pontefract were on the receiving end as their scrummage, which was fine in the first half, suddenly incurred a barrage of penalties and three yellow cards. James Griffin was yellow carded, then shown a red card for a second yellow offence before the official realised his mistake and had to apologise much to the amusement of a bewildered crowd. Playing against a very strong and determined pack with 7 men was a challenge beyond the visitors and eventually they conceded a try from a line out drive to make it a tense last 10 minutes. 21 – 26. With the penalties still coming thick and fast against the visitors it was only a matter of time before the rampant hosts scored, which they did from a scrum, to put them ahead for the first time with minutes remaining. 28-26

For the final moments Pontefract played some frantic running rugby and created a couple of chances to snatch victory but Dinnington held on for a hard-fought win. Neither sides never really understood what had happened in the final 30 minutes but Dinnington reacted better and took their opportunity’s well to take the points. It was frustrating for the visitors who scored four excellent tries to suffer defeat to a side that also scored four tries from only had one pass