Last-gasp heroics (From Free Press Series)

Last-gasp heroics

PONTYPOOL won by the width of a post on Saturday as an injury time Sam Mills penalty went over off the woodwork to seal a narrow victory over Llanelli.

But Pooler coach David Gray refused to get carried away after the post-match celebrations had died down. With three of the six other Welsh Premier sides threatened with relegation also winning, and a crucial six-pointer against Maesteg this weekend, Gray knows his men are far from safe.

He said: "We've still got to get ourselves out of this dogfight. The priority has to be ensuring Pontypool are playing Welsh Premier rugby next year, then we can think about a mid-table finish."

Mills took the plaudits on Saturday, kicking over 14 of Poolers' 19 points including the decisive kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

But Gray's men were 13-3 up at the break, and the coach admitted the game should have been killed off long before the late drama.

Llanelli took an early lead through a Ceiron Thomas penalty, before Mills responded with two kicks of his own. Prop Neil Giles broke the line to add the visitors' only try before the break.

But Pooler failed to capitalise after the restart and Llanelli entered what Gray later called a "purple patch" to draw level at 13-13. A further penalty each for Thomas and Mills saw the teams deadlocked right up until Mill's decisive intervention.

Gray added afterwards: "The forwards took the game to Llanelli and kept hold of the ball for long periods of time and that's what we've been lacking."

Ponty's two new signings - Dominic Hitchcock from Bath and tight head prop Stuart Meddick - were both ineligible for a place against Llanelli but could now feature in this weekend's clash with Maesteg.

On the subject on changing a winning XV, Gray noted: "The new guys need to prove themselves and fight for their places, but what we've got to look at is the sides we're playing.

"Each side is different and each player has their strengths and weaknesses."