Best-laid plans go awry (From Free Press Series)

Best-laid plans go awry

ARMED with a second half game-plan, Pooler were all set to record back-to-back wins on Saturday, having clawed themselves to within three points of Maesteg by half time.

But it was the visitors who missed two late opportunities to snatch a win at Pontypool Park - Maesteg's James Dixon missing an easy penalty kick, before Lloyd Warner's effort into the wind fell short.

Having won the toss, it was the wind - along with the notorious Park slope - which Gray had hoped to use to his side's advantage after the break.

But he confessed afterwards: "It was there for us to win after half time and we controlled a lot of parts of the game. But we didn't make as much of the conditions as we should have.

"We should have kicked to the corners and got them running - there's nothing worse for a pack than to have to run back 30 or 40 yards - but instead we played too much rugby too far out. We've tried to rush things instead of letting them make mistakes."

The first half saw most of the action, with right winger Grant Epton opening the scoring for Maesteg before a conversion and a penalty from Dixon gifted the away fans a 10-0 lead.

But Lenny Woodward's running was instrumental in the Pooler fightback. And when a 28th minute lineout was passed well down the line it was Woodward who went over at the second attempt to reduce the deficit. Epton's second try minutes later, set up by Ian Boobyer, restored the ten point lead, but again Pontypool won a turnover on the Maesteg 22 with centre Adam Sliczney cutting in for the try, converted by Sam Mills.

Just three points down, Pooler made several handling errors, chose the wrong options and conceded unnecessary penalties in the second half. Mills did equalise after 67 minutes from a kick, but the scrum failed to live up to expectations.

Pooler now have the unenviable record of being the lowest points scorers in the Premier Division. Having drawn twice this term, certainly the odd conversion could have proved crucial, but it was Maesteg who missed the opportunities to kick the winning points on Saturday.

After this weekend's Six Nations fixtures, Pooler are away at Bridgend on February 11. Three points there would see Pooler edge away from the dreaded play-off spot - probably pitting the third-bottom side against Division One champions elect Bonymaen.