Old Crossleyans 25 Pontefract 20

Old Crossleyans 25 Pontefract 20

It was first v third in the game of the day in Yorkshire one. Before the game a losing bonus point and restricting Crocs to no bonus points would have been seen as an acceptable outcome against previously unbeaten opposition on their own patch. However, in reality, Ponte went home disappointed as lapses in defence, penalties against and losing players to cards proved their downfall.

Ponte started well with Liam Kay just failing to reclaim his own chip over with the line begging. The resulting dominant scrum gave Crocs a taste of things to come and a few phases later Crocs gave away a penalty at the breakdown which Kay converted for a well deserved lead.

Unfortunately, Crocs stepped up a gear and replied with three tries before half time. Firstly, terrible midfield defence from first phase ball allowed opposition centre to stroll through from half way. Despite desperate last ditch defence, Ponte could not stop a converted try in the corner. The next two tries were carbon copies of each other as Ponte gave away penalties at the breakdown on their own line. Both lead to yellow cards, one for scrum half Josh Walker and another for winger Richard Dedicoat. From both penalties Ponte unbelievably allowed the same player to score direct from the tap.

At 19-3 with two players in the bin it looked worrying. Ponte needed a boost before half time and it was the scrum to the rescue. A superb eight man drive gave number eight Calum Rogers the chance to score a try under the posts. As the Ponte eight celebrated a Crocs player lost his bind and threw punches at prop James Griffin who responded by pushing the player in the face. This was the only thing seen by the referee and Griffin was given a straight red with the Crocs cheapshotter only a yellow. Kay converted the try to bring the score to 19-10 with half time looming. It looked like the whistle would go but quick-thinking scrum half Josh Walker put over an opportunist drop goal with the last kick of the half to put Ponte back in the game at 19-13.

The second half was a stop start affair littered with penalties and few try scoring opportunities. What opportunities did arise were Pontes, with a disallowed try followed by a Kay penalty hitting the post. Playing with a man down did not seem to matter as Ponte went into the lead when not so speedy prop Josh Hough found himself clean through in the centres to gallop eight metres for a try beating his previous distance record by seven metres. Kay added the conversion and at 20-19 in front it was game on. Ponte were unlucky not to add to their lead as a Kay penalty hit the post. Unfortunately, it was Crocs who sealed the game with a couple of late penalties given away under pressure.

Man of the match for Ponte, forced to give a rare full eighty minutes, was prop Hough for his try and scrummaging. Others catching the eye were Rogers, Walker and second row Bailly Matthews.

The vocal Crocs support were silenced and knew their team had got out of jail. Seeing their pack so comprehensively beaten in the tight by a team who had played 60 minutes of rugby with a man down was a reality check for them. Indeed another ref on another day would have been brandishing yellow cards at scrum time all day. From Pontes point of view tackling and discipline at the breakdown when under pressure must improve against better opposition. It is Beverley at home next week with eighty ex players in attendance for a pre match meal