By: Paul Hopkins
Pontypool kept alive their hopes of a top four finish with a bonus point victory over Swansea in a nine try thriller in front of the S4C TV cameras.
Flanker Mike Herbert spilled the kick off forward and centre James Price raced through for the home side, but his pass out to winger Tom Edwards was forward so play was brought back for a Pontypool scrum.
Full back Harri Houston evaded a tackle and made a break to half way, but support was too slow to arrive and he held on after the tackle.
Fly half Kieran Meek chipped up to the 22 with his touch finder and Herbert took the lineout, before the Pooler backs got the ball out wide to winger Marcus Jones, and the supporting number eight Morgan Allen was tackled by flanker Owen Thomas. The home side continued to pile on the pressure with flanker Lewis Riley crashing over for the opening try. Meek converted.
Winger Iwan Glynn tapped back another high restart and an overeager Pooler tackler dived straight on top of scrum half Iwan Temblett. However, fly half Josh Phillips’ penalty touch finder sailed over the dead ball line.
A Rhodri Cole chip and chase caused problems for the visitors, but referee Rees Jones brought play back after a home scrum drove the Whites backwards, earning a penalty. Meek chipped up to the 22 and lock Dan Hill collected the lineout as the home forwards piled on the pressure, forcing Swansea offside.
Despite the penalty being in front of the posts, the home side opted for a scrum. The visitors gave away another penalty, and this time Meek kicked the three pointer.
Hill was penalised for taking a player out in the air at a lineout and Phillips found touch just over half way. Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout, but a Temblett box kick was collected by Marcus Jones who was able to clear.
Prop Cameron Jones powered through and the supporting number eight Cai Davies was well tackled, before Tom Edwards managed to scramble back to make amends for a poor Houston chip through. Instead, the visitors were awarded a penalty, which Phillips chipped inside the Pooler 22.
Chris Thompson rose high to take the lineout and replacement flanker Owen Thomas charged forward as the visitors looked to get a foothold in the game, but centre Callum Dodd spilled a crucial pass forward and the home side were able to clear long with a penalty.
Cai Davies took a free kick and a Temblett box kick was knocked backwards by Marcus Jones, but the visitors managed a turnover just shy of the 22. A superb inside step by Houston sent Temblett over for a superb try against the run of play. Phillips converted.
A superb break by Price sent Tom Edwards racing down the wing, with Houston providing support as the home side creeped up to the 22. Phillips’ kick was initially charged down, but the All Whites got the ball back with Tom Edwards racing into the 22, and although the visitors’ forwards battered the line, hooker Jamie Cox knocked the ball forward at the crucial moment.
A poor clearance kick by Meek was taken by Tom Edwards, before Thomas charged down another attempted clearance kick to keep Pooler penned down inside their own 22.
Lock Liam Edwards took the lineout and a clever grubber kick by Temblett was almost taken by Price, but Pooler dealt with the danger, although referee Rees Jones brought play back for an earlier penalty.
Jones charged forward from a close range ruck, but the ball was worked out to Tom Edwards at the next phase and the winger dived over for his side’s second try. Phillips converted.
Thomas took the restart and ran straight at the Pooler defence, before popping up again to run at pace, although the supporting Chris Thompson spilled possession forward.
The home side were awarded a free kick on half way and Allen charged forward, but the visitors secured a turnover and Tom Edwards chipped long with a successful 50/22.
Flanker Dan Gemine took the lineout and Cox raced through with Thomas in support, before Jones was tackled just short of the line. The home side kept the ball tight and Jones used his power to stretch over for a try. Phillips converted.
Allen charged at the Swansea defence, which crept offside. Meek opted to chip up to the 22 and the visitors’ defence gave away another penalty, which Meek this time converted to cut the gap to eight points.
On the stroke of half time, Pontypool were awarded a penalty on half way for the visitors’ transgressions that led to an off the ball fight. Allen powered forward and the Pooler backs became involved, but prop Ed Thompson was yellow carded for a professional foul.
Meek chipped to the corner and a huge drive saw replacement hooker Connor Chapman crash over for a try with the final play of the half. Meek converted to leave his side trailing by just a single point at half time.
Half-time:- Pontypool 20-21 Swansea
The Pooler backs made an elementary mistake immediately after the interval by taking the ball back inside their 22 and kicking out on the full. The visitors looked to attack, but a chip through was grounded dead to force a goal line drop out.
Chris Thompson took a lineout inside the Pontypool half, and a chip and go by Phillips almost worked wonders, but it was winger Jordan Thomas who was able to race clear, with Meek chipping across field and Marcus Jones beating a weak Houston tackle to score under the posts. Meek converted.
Centre Pat Lewis tried to race out of defence, but his side failed to release the ball in the tackle, gifting the Whites a penalty. Phillips turned down a kick in front of the posts to instead chip deep into the corner.
Liam Edwards took the lineout, but the Pooler defence stopped the visitors from advancing in the maul, before Dodd dropped a pass.
The home side were penalised for failing to release the ball in the tackle, and also warned by referee Jones. This time Phillips chose to kick at goal and his decision paid off with a three pointer.
A high box kick by Cole was well taken by Houston, but Cole also rose superbly to collect a Pooler Garry Owen kick, although play was stopped for an injury too close to the action.
Tom Edwards spilled forward a Temblett box kick and the Swansea defence were promptly penalised for offside. Meek kicked to the corner and Hill took the lineout, but Chapman was held up over the line.
Liam Edwards secured a much needed turnover to allow the Whites to clear long through Glynn. Then a high kick by Houston was spilled forward, and a lucky bounce favoured the home side as they worked up to the 22. The pack remain patient, before prop Kelvyn Williams crashed over for a try. Meek converted.
Meek chose to kick to the corner with a penalty touch finder. Replacement flanker Callum Davies took the lineout and substitute flanker Scott Matthews burst off the back of the maul, but lost the ball forward over the line.
Replacement winger Harry Jarvis races back at the Pooler defence and burst past a tackle, and substitute prop Harry Drane charged forward, before substitute lock Ieuan Jones used his power to charge over for a try. P10 converted.
Davies was yellow carded for the home side for killing the ball, with replacement fly half Tal Rees chipping into touch. Swansea worked the ball out wide from the lineout and the home side were again penalised, this time for offside.
Rees again chipped into the corner, but the maul was illegally brought down, so replacement fly half Lewis Bates chipped into the corner. Gemine took the lineout and replacement hooker Will Austin controlled the ball at the back of a maul, before crashing over for a try. Rees converted.
The visitors went in search for a second bonus point and the ball ricocheted into touch off a Pontypool hand to give Swansea a last gasp lineout on the 22. Chris Thompson took the lineout, but the home side were penalised for holding on after the tackle to spark the end of the match.
Full-time:- Pontypool 41-31 Swansea
Pontypool:
Tries:- Lewis Robey (4), Connor Chapman (40+12), Marcus Jones (49), Scott Matthews (70), Ieuan Jones (76)
Cons:- Kieran Meek (5, 40+13, 50, 71, 77)
Pens:- Kieran Meek (11, 40+6)
Yellow cards:- Callum Davies (79)
Swansea:
Tries:- Iwan Tamblett (25), Tom Edwards (36), Cameron Jones (40), Will Austin (80+2)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (26, 37, 40+1, 59), Tal Rees (80+3)
Yellow cards:- Kian Hire (40+11)
Match facts:
Venue:- Pontypool Park, Pontypool
Weather:- Light rain, 13C
Referee:- Rees Jones
Man of the match:- Rhodri Cole
Attendance:- 700
Pontypool team:
15 Ewan Rosser
14 Jordan Thomas (rep: Harry Jarvis 72)
13 Pat Lewis
12 Joel Mahony
11 Marcus Jones
10 Kieran Meek (rep: Lewis Bates 77)
9 Rhodri Cole
1 Kelvyn Williams (rep: Harry Drane 66)
2 Sam Scarfe (rep: Connor Chapman 32)
3 Owain James (rep: Regan Jones 80)
4 Buster Bodkin (rep: Ieuan Jones 41)
5 Dan Hill
6 Lewis Robey (rep: Scott Matthews 47)
7 Mike Herbert (rep: Callum Davies 66)
8 Morgan Allen
Replacements:
16 Connor Chapman
17 Regan Jones
18 Harry Drane
19 Scott Matthews
20 Ieuan Jones
21 Harry Jarvis
22 Lewis Bates
23 Callum Davies
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Iwan Glynn (rep: Kian Hire 45-50)
13 Callum Dodd
12 James Price (rep: Ieuan Cornelius 63)
11 Tom Edwards
10 Josh Phillips (rep: Tal Rees 66)
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Matthew Aubrey 50)
1 Cameron Jones
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Will Austin 66)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Kian Hire 50)
4 Liam Edwards (rep: Sam Pailor 71)
5 Chris Thompson
6 Dan Gemine (rep: Callum Bowden 14-37)
7 Owen Thomas © (rep: Callum Bowden 52)
8 Cai Davies
Replacements:
16 Will Austin
17 Daf Davies
18 Kian Hire
19 Sam Pailor
20 Callum Bowden
21 Matthew Aubrey
22 Tal Rees
23 Ieuan Corenelius