PONTEFRACT 29 DINNINGTON 3

PONTEFRACT 29 DINNINGTON 3

It was third v fourth at Moor lane as Ponte hosted the form team of the league on Saturday. On paper this was a very close game but Ponte played the conditions perfectly to register a comfortable, maximum points victory. It was a complete team performance based on outstanding defence and a magnificent scrum.

Dinnington had come to win and it was a tremendous physical battle early on. Ponte could not make the most of territorial advantage due to a slight lack of patience in promising positions and a tough opposition defence. The signs were good however and it was a surprise when Dinnington took the lead from a long range penalty.

Ponte replied with a couple of breaks from centre Andy Coleman including a flashy offload out of the back of his hands to his winger. It needed something different to break down the Dinnington defence and that was provided by winger Ciaran Tucker who bamboozled the opponents with a clever grubber kick through for stand in fly half Craig Fawcett to score on the follow up.

Five points soon turned to twelve as a big ten metre scrum allowed number eight Jack Beddis to drive at the line and allow Callum Rogers to barge over on the follow up for a try which Richard Dedicoat converted.

To their credit Dinnington did try and respond but the swarming Ponte defence was too much for them with one bone crunching crash tackle from centre Harry McAllister making the whole crowd wince.

The second half belonged completely to Ponte with Sam Millard catching the eye with his strong running. From one such run, a Dinnington turnover and clearance was moved expertly from one side of the pitch to the other by Josh Walker and Dedicoat for Coleman to time his pass perfectly for winger Tucker to score.

By now Dinnington had all but given up and the next score came as a fifteen metre scrum was marched forward. Number eight Millard skilfully dribbled the ball over the line only to see man of the match scrum half Walker sneakily dive in and pinch his try.

Everyone thought that was it but there was still time for a thrilling final seventy metre break away try for Tucker under the posts which Dedicoat converted.

It is hard to pick individuals in such an outstanding team performance but special mention should go to the heavyweight front row of Josh Hough, James Griffin and Ethan Potts who each had to put in a full eighty stint due to a lack of replacements, and completely dominated their opposites.

The win consolidates the third place position and with all the top teams to come to Moor Lane a tilt at the title is a definite possibility. However, no game is easy and this week the boys travel to Leodensians, a traditionally tough fixture.