PONTLLANFRAITH 13 - 10 CEFN COEDA glimmer of Christmas hope swept through the streets of Pontllanfraith on a cold, dark Saturday evening as the boys in blue finally got their first win of the season. Things didn’t look good for this much maligned first round SWALEC bowl fixture and it relied upon the coaching team to pull in a few festive favours just to get fifteen on the field.
The front row, with a combined age of well over a hundred, consisted of Dan Welsh, Mike Medlicott and Coach Tony Jayne. Justin Preece joined captain Steve Reynolds in the second row. Brynithel’s Dean Pitt teamed up with Bleddyn Jones and Phil Willams to make up the back row. Pont welcomed the return of crowd favourite Aaron Farmer at scrum half with coach Wayne Grimstead making up a formidable half-back partnership. Gavin Lynch was partnered in the centre by another Blaenau-gwent legend Nolan Nicklin. Pete Thomas and Martin Gregg made up the wing positions with Chris Miles being moved out to the full back position.
With the bare fifteen taking the field, the game started with uncontested scrums. Pont got off to a good start and showed the passion we’ve come to expect from this battle hardened side. Some fine touch finders from the Wales veteran Grimstead gave a the boys a great attacking position about twenty minutes in and made huge in-roads into the Cefn defence and concluded with the Fijian like flanker Phil Williams going over for a well taken try which unfortunately wasn't converted by full back Miles. Into the second half and Cefn Coed who, like Pont, have had a troubled season, started to attack. Pont's valiant defence couldn't hold and they went over to make the score line 7-5. Cefn, now with their tails up, extended their lead to 10-5 with a nicely struck penalty. But Pont were about to claw their way back. The forwards showed the backs how to do it in style as they put together some 1970's Barbarians like passing only for coach and tight head Tony Jayne to show his charges how it's done by bounding over the whitewash from 20 yards out. Again however, Miles failed to convert. Nifty winger Pete Thomas had a great opportunity to finish the match in Pont’s favour but couldn't just manage to put the ball down in the corner. As the final whistle came with the score line at ten apiece, the ref said the dreaded words, "Extra Time!"
A tough twenty minutes lay ahead and there was very little to separate the sides. Pont managed to get a penalty chance and Chris Miles needing an opportunity to redeem himself for earlier missed chances, stepped up. This time, he didn't miss. Finally, in almost complete darkness, the ref blew up to the cheers of the home crowd. Only to realise moments later they now have to play another bloody cup round!
This was a much needed victory for the club and a great night was had by all. Pont now look forward to playing Crumlin on the Welfare ground in the next round.
Well done boys!
Merry Christmas to all from pontrfc.com
