Dinnington RUFC 0 – Pontefract RUFC 10
Dinnington are always huge and heavy, good at ball retention and the pick-and-go. Which was a good reason to bring back into Pontefract’s starting forward pack Tyler Smith (300 lbs), Andy Fenton (300 lbs) and Sam Millard (250 lbs), with Rob Scholey (250 lbs) and Jack Beddis (210 lbs) as finishers. (All weights approximate.)
A game played against Dinnington in the foothills of the Peak District in the driving wind and rain of Storm Dennis was always going to be a tight, forward dominated game. So it proved to be.
Not only did the score provide Pontefract with a vital four points in Yorkshire Division One, but one of the most satisfying aspects of the game so far as Ponte’s coaching team are concerned was that the forwards confronted the Dinnington pack, toe-to-toe for 80 minutes and never took a step back. It may not always have been pretty, and Ponte certainly didn’t have it all their own way, but they edged it in terms of courage, determination, will-to-win and brute strength.
Notwithstanding the elements, there were some glimpses of running rugby. Liam Kay took the ball to the line on a couple of occasions and delayed lightly weighted pop passes to Danny Cowling on the burst. Sando and Diddy has a gallop a piece, but the going didn’t favour the athletes. It was a day of mud and grunt.
Ponte’s forward pack may ache this morning. But should feel proud. Job well done. Two members of the pack deserve a shout out: Ponte’s No.8 Steve Reynolds who scored the only try of the game on 30 minutes following a sustained drive at the scrum; and new-man Callum Rogers whom the Dinnington coach awarded the man-of-the-match.
The game only really became Pontefract’s in the 65th minute when Liam slotted a penalty from 20 meters out to make it 0 - 10. At that stage the Ponte supporters blew out their cheeks in relief as it was felt that Dinnington couldn’t score twice. Territory was gained and chances made in the last 15 minutes to extend the score. But, at the end of the day, everyone was happy with a win.