Pooler win at last (From Free Press Series)

Pooler win at last

Pontypool 34 Swansea 17: STEVE Jones is known for his rousing half time talks, but Saturday's has to be the best yet.

The Welsh Cup winner has an uncanny knack of finding the right words at the right time to inspire a side to victory and against in-form Swansea on Saturday he did just that.

The last time the All Whites visited the Park they steam rolled their way to a thumping 49-3 victory. On Saturday leading 17-3 at the break they looked odds on to rattle up another comfortable win and condemn Pooler to a fourth defeat in as many games.

Queue Jones' seminal half-time speech that inspired a second half revival more akin to Hollywood war movie. Thirty-one unanswered points sent Swansea home with their tales between their legs and Pontypool at last believing they have the goods to make an impact in the Premiership.

So what did Jones say? Half-expectantly he's remaining modest.

"Myself and Nigel Callard just told the players to believe in themselves. We knew where Swansea were coming from and I suppose we were letting them dictate the game too much.

"At half time we just told the lads to play in the positions where they were putting us. It was just a case of us doing to them what they were doing to us," said Jones

Three tries including one from captain Cae Trayhern coupled arguably fly half Sam Mills' best performance of the year as he kicked 18 points including a coolly taken drop-goal.

"When we play a tempo game we play well. It's when we sit back and let our work rate drop things start to work against us," said Jones.

"This win has made the players believe in themselves. It was a vital confidence booster. We have been threatening this performance all season and in that sense it was good to see.

"In the first half we won a bit of line out ball and stole some of theirs, but we didn't use it and ended up losing it back to Swansea. In the second half any lose ball we picked up and the line out started going very well. I was pleased to see our two half backs (Gareth Jenkins and Sam Mills) dictating things as well," he added.

Pontypool won't be able to bask in their glory for too long though with a tough double header against Ebbw Vale and Llanharan this week. Both sides have got off to a similar start to the season as Pontypool meaning two victories would put some early breathing space between Jones' men and the relegation pack.

"They are likely to be two forward dominated games, but we have taken on Swansea's strong forwards and won and can do so again," rallied Jones. Tonight's match at Ebbw Vale kicks off at 7.15pm and Saturday's at home to Llanharan 2.30pm.