Pontypool 20 v 17 Whites
27 Sep 2008 - Pontypool Park
Swansea fell to their third defeat of the season in a largely scrappy affair at a sun soaked Pontypool Park. Two tries by full back Nicky Thomas was not enough to thwart Pooler who were inspired by Thomas’ opposite number Geraint O’Driscoll.
The home side started brightly with flanker Rhys Bowen charging forward to force the Whites’ defence offside. O’Driscoll slotted the penalty home from in front of the posts. Three minutes later, Pooler almost scored a freak try after a poor error at the base of the ruck by scrum half Phillip Tucker sparked a calamity of errors, but Swansea were able to scramble the ball dead.
The Whites grabbed the first try of the match after good work by Alun Wyn-Davies and Dan Matthews sent Tucker on a superb break through the middle, before he sent Thomas in to score. James Dixon converted. Minutes later the visitors should have added a second when Dixon chipped into the corner, but Leigh Bevan was unable to take advantage allowing Will Kershaw-Naylor to clear.
Swansea continued to take the game to the home side with Dixon, Bevan and Sam Kiley combining well to force the Pontypool defence offside. However Dixon failed to make them pay by missing from a relatively straightforward position. The home side were soon back on the front foot though and an excellent O’Driscoll break was well supported by Cae Trayhern who fired out a scoring pass to Welsh international winger Tal Selley. O’Driscoll failed with the conversion.
Disaster struck for the Whites just four minutes later as Chris Shelmerdine lost the ball in contact during an attack and the home side quickly fired the ball out to Tom Edwards who raced in for a try from inside his own twenty-two. O’Driscoll converted. On the stroke of half time, Pontypool took a quick lineout but good work by Gavin Ronan forced them to hold on after the tackle. Thomas elected to go for goal and swerved the ball through the posts to narrow the deficit to five points at half-time.
Half-Time:- Pontypool 15 Swansea 10
Both sides took a while to settle down after the interval although it was Pontypool who enjoyed the majority of early possession and territory. O’Driscoll was handed the first penalty chance of the half after the Whites’ pack committed a scrummaging offence. However the full back pulled his effort wide of the post.
Swansea put a good move together involving Dixon and Richard Payne but the centre became isolated with a lack of support. Strong play by Trayhern and a looping run by Dan Gravell sent in O’Driscoll for a third Pontypool try, although he failed to convert from out wide.
Swansea hit back with only seven minutes left on the clock as breaks by Bevan and David Watts forced Pooler to kill the ball. Ronan took a quick tap penalty and found replacement scrum half Nathan Jones who slipped a quick pass out to Thomas who raced in to score. He converted his own try. O’Driscoll missed another penalty chance after the visitor’s forwards entered a maul from the wrong side. Bevan had a late opportunity to show his pace down the wing but he was tackled into touch before reaching the halfway line.
The loss will have disappointed the Whites’ coaching staff but they at least rescued a losing bonus point. There will need to be a major improvement in their all-round play to overcome Pontypridd at St Helen’s next week.
Full-Time:- Pontypool 20 Swansea 17
Venue:- Pontypool Park, Pontypool
Weather:- Sunny, 19C
Competition:- Principality Welsh Premiership
Referee:- David Williams
Pontypool Scorers:- O’Driscoll (Pen, Con, Try), Selley (Try), Edwards (Try)
Swansea Scorers:- Thomas (2 Tries, Pen, Con), Dixon (Con)
Swansea Team:- 15 N. Thomas 14 C. Shelmerdine 13 R. Payne 12 D. Watts 11 L. Bevan 10 J. Dixon (rep: J. Stuart) 9 P. Tucker (rep: N. Jones) 1 T. Evans 2 A. Wyn-Davies (rep: A. Joy) 3 D. Matthews (rep: R. Jones) 4 G. Ronan 5 H. Alford 6 S. Kiley 7 M. Popham 8 S. Jones
By Paul Hopkins
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