Stalemate at Virginia Park
Both sides could have won this nail bitter at Virginia Park. Caerphilly
had a try disallowed 6 minutes into injury time, as much as Pooler
were confident to have scored under the posts 5 minutes earlier. A
reverse of the fixture at Pontypool park earlier this year, Caerphilly's
turn to lead for the whole match, only to lose to an injury time penalty
by Gary Wilks. The home side maintained their lead in all of normal
time, leading 12-9 going into injury time. A questionable penalty
awarded by referee Ballard giving Pooler the opportunity to draw level
2 minutes into injury time. As the ball spread out into midfield,
Pooler appeared to be holding on the ground as the Caerphilly defence
did well to close the space, two defenders on their feet trying to
rip the ball from the floored attacker. A penalty to Pooler was the
outcome as Ballard decided that the home side were guilty of failing
to let go as the ruck was called.
Caerphilly took the lead with the first passage of play, Celyn Ashton
converting the penalty as the Pooler defence were caught offside.
Ashton added another on 14 minutes Pooler guilty of entering a ruck
from the side on this occasion. AShton was again in the fray, just
missing another penalty on 21 minutes, the visitors again offside.
Pontypool failed to gain three points on 21 minutes, Caerphilly guilty
of offside on this occasion. Pooler got their just rewards however
on 25 minutes. Taking play up to the Caerphilly 22 with a series of
penalties, the home side guilty of pulling players down in the 5mtr
lineout. Up stepped full back Gary Wilks to give the traveling supporters
something to shout about.
Collecting the kick off, Pooler formed a ruck midway between the 10mtr
and 22 mtr lines. As scrum half Gareth Betts cleared with a box kick,
referee Ballard spotted prop Jamie Jeune holding Caerphilly's scrum
half Alun Ford back and awarded another penalty to the home side.
AShton stepping up and converting in this occasion restoring Caerphilly's
6 point lead.
Caerphilly lost flanker Sam Feehan to the bin a minute into injury
time giving Pooler a simple penalty which Wilks duly converted. Their
recovery was short lived however. Retrieving loose ball the home side
recycled down the right, ball passing through the hands of Chris Payne
and into the arms of Chris Ferris, the hooker making serious yards
up field. Bringing the play back from the five mtr line, referee Ballard
awarded the home side a penalty for the high tackle on Ferris. Ashton
converted giving the home side a 12-6 lead at the break.
With both half's played in the April rain, the pitch was a bit soggy
making ball control difficult at times. Caerphilly dominated the first
quarter, even stevens for the last, but Pooler definitely came out
the stronger in the second. Defending their line, it was the Cheesemen
that yielded the first penalty of the second half. Holding on the
floor as they attempted to break out of defence, WIlks missing his
opportunity on this occasion. Pooler squandered a good opportunity
a minute later. Collecting the drop out and taking play up to the
22, scrum half Gareth Betts spotted the winger in the ruck, and as
the ball came out placed a deft chip deep into Caerphilly territory.
Under pressure the ball was passed hastily to full back Nathan Gittings
who was found guilty of holding on as he waited for support. Wilks,
surprisingly missed a fairly easy penalty, and Poolers chance to claw
back.
Wilks slotted a penalty quarter of an hour into the second half, as
Caerphilly were adjudged offside, before both sides made some wholesale
changes. Caerphilly club Captain John Griffiths, hooker Antony Payne
and Rob Phillips (returning for his first game since fracturing his
cheekbone against Pooler in the previous fixture) entering the fray,
with the influential Cae Trehearne arriving on the field for the visitors.
With Pontypool making inroads into the Caerphilly half, Betts chipped
ahead forcing full back Nathan Gittings to fly kick the ball into
touch on 64 minutes. From the resultant line out, a catch and drive
moved almost proved fruitful as the rolling maul drove up to the Caerphilly
line, only stout defence freeing the home side in the end as Pooler
knocked on. A mistake form the resultant scrum put Gittings under
immense pressure, forcing him to ground behind the try line giving
the visitors a strong advantage.
With the final whistle growing ever nearer, Pooler were awarded a
penalty in their own 22. Kicking upfield a brave Sankala palmed the
ball into play, and as he attempted to reclaim possession he slipped
allowing Pooler an opening. Caerphilly were saved by the brave work
of Gittings, pouncing on the loose ball and winning a penalty as the
visitors failed to allow him to get up off the floor.
3 minutes into injury time, a lineout on the half way line was claimed,
passing out to the centre's, it appeared that the attacker was isolated
in midfield as two Caerphilly bore down, rucking the ball. Holding
on for support, Pontypool were awarded a penalty, as when the referee
finally called ruck, Caerphilly failed to release, giving Wilds the
opportunity to slot the conversion, midway between the 10 and 22 mtr
line, drawing the scores level.
6 minutes into injury time a strong Caerphilly forward break resulted
in flanker Rhys Watkins crossing the line, only to be called back
as the referee deemed that the dummy runners going off on all angles
were adjudged to have taken a defending player out.
Maybe a just reward for both sides, who have been battling at the
top of the league for the second half of the season, showing the closeness
of both sides. However the draw was a far better result for the Pontypool
side, maintaining the 2 point difference between the two sides. Caerphilly
with one more game to play , Pooler with three games to play.
Caerphilly travel to Llanharan to close their best season for 10 years,
hoping for Pontypool to slip up in their remaining fixtures. Kick
off is 2.30om at the Dairyfield, Llanharan.
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