Pontefract put last weeks disappointing defeat behind them with a convincing win against traditional close rivals Old Brods. The perfect conditions and the type of opponents allowed Ponte to impose their preferred game plan of attacking wide at every opportunity, with forwards and backs alike handling and offloading in an eye-catching manor. Ponte opened the scoring early as a grubber kick through from Liam Kaye allowed centre Andy Coleman to score unopposed under the posts with Kaye converting.

The next thirty minutes saw the teams go head to head in a battle for supremacy. The big opposition pack did not allow Ponte to dominate the scrums as in previous weeks, but with regular hooker Jonny Hill returning to the team, the line outs functioned nicely. One highlight in this passage of play, and the whole match, was the all action performance of young second row Brodie Matthews. He was at the heart of the forward effort, with one turnover near his own line saving what looked like a definite try.

On the half hour mark, Ponte increased their lead with a try very similar to the first. Player coach Craig Fawcett, who was at his talismanic best on the day, made a break out wide, and a quick recycle and hands allowed Kaye to grubber through for Sam Millard to score. Kaye converted and then repeated the feat soon after, as a tremendous break and chip through from winger Richard Dedicoat allowed Fawcett to follow up and strip the ball from the opposite full back to score under the posts. Half time and Ponte were sitting pretty at twenty one nil up.

The game was more or less put to bed within seconds of the restart as a great drive from Gaz Burns was followed by a break from Sam Millard who put substitute second row forward Stephen Reynolds over with his first touch of the ball. Kaye’s touchline conversion hit the post but at twenty six-nil Ponte were sitting pretty.

Pontes final try came as bullocking runs from big props Tyler Smith and Josh Hough allowed young scrum half Callum Watts to dummy over from close range. Kaye converted and at thirty three -nil it was definitely game over.

It was disappointing for Ponte that the performance dipped there after. The outstanding line speed in defence was no longer there as they took their foot off the gas. To the credit of Old Brods they never gave up and, and with Hough in the sin bin for Ponte, they played some attractive rugby to score three late unconverted tries to bring respectability to the score.

All in all a top quality performance that goes a long way to securing third place in the league. Next week brings the penultimate game of the league campaign against champions Moortown. A great opportunity for the side to show how much they have progressed this season.