First win in 5 for Ponte

Pontefract 21 Old Brodleans 14

Pontefract made a lively start in a must win game against Old Brodleans in the bottom of the table clash.

Matty Williams made great yards from the kick off giving Glen Boyd the oppertunity to set up some good field position from which a forward drive created an overlap that should have given them the perfect start. However the pass was inaccurate allowing the visitors to relieve the pressure and move play up field. Some indiscipline by Griffin lead to an early yellow card as pontes hard work was wasted allowing the visitors to open the scoring with a well struck penalty. 0-3
The pack who had make late changes before kick off were dealt a further blow when influential Rob Stringer was injured prompting the early introduction of club coach, Ben Wade after only 10 minutes. As ponte reorganised a series of penalties allowed the visitors to stretch their lead after another well struck penalty 0-6. Pontefract began to panic resulting in poor kicking options and a misfiring lineout that was taken advantage of by a confident brods side who forced their way over in the corner after a defensive mix up to lead 0-11. Another penalty followed shortly as ponte struggled to get into the game, their defence was strong but poor discipline left them trailing by 0-14 after half an hour.

Pontefract finally rallied through a great forward effort driving hard into the heart of the brods defence and forcing a penalty that was drilled into the corner for an attacking lineout. The ball wasn't caught cleanly giving brods the oppertunity to clear their line from the resulting scrum, the front row of Griffin, Smith and Maw took 'one against the head' before demolishing the visiting pack giving the official no option but to award a penalty try. Goaled by Dean 7-14. The forward dominance continued up to the interval as ponte played with spirit and determination but were unable to add to their tally as brods defended bravely as the home pack grew in stature.
A rejuvinated ponte barged down field and forced a penalty which captain Boyd masterfully angled into the corner setting up an early oppertunity to get back on level terms. The lineout was won cleanly but was illegally pulled down short of the line forcing the penalty that gave ponte the scrum option that ended in the same result as the brods pack was again demolished. Penalty try 14-14.

The home side moved up a gear and ran the ball at every oppertunity with Bacon and Fawcett looking dangerous as ponte tried to turn the possession into points, the back row of Fradgely, Williams and Burrows continued the momentum and it seemed only a matter of time before ponte went ahead. This occurred when ponte were given a third penalty try after a very tired brods pack collapsed under great pressure from the rampant ponte forwards 21-14.

Pontefract threatened to run away with the game but brods rolled up their sleeves and battled for the remainder of the game. A rare penalty miss by Dean failed to put distance between the teams and a debated off side from a cross kick saw the bonus point disappear leaving the game to turn into a stalemate as the weather and darkness decended.

A vital, hard fought win that sets ponte up perfectly for next weeks visit to Heath where victories are rare.
It wasn't a day for the backs to show their paces but once they got some go forward ball they looked threatening but still need to improve their accuracy in execution as several chances went begging.

Once the pack settled down they produced a display of power and determination which will be the required next Saturday, the pick of the pack and MOM was Matty Williams with Boyd second half preformance making him the pick of the backs.