Lintern fears Aberavon fortress (From Free Press Series)

Lintern fears Aberavon fortress

8:40am Friday 3rd October 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

PONTYPOOL head to the fortress that is the Talbot Athletic Ground confident of taking the scalp of Aberavon's high-flying Wizards.

Aberavon are a formidable side winning three out of their four opening games and have not lost a competitive match at home for nearly a year. But promoted Pooler have enjoyed an encouraging start to the season in the Premiership and secured their first win last weekend against Swansea at Pontypool Park after losing their first three matches.

It was their heroic display at the Gnoll against champions Neath on the opening day of the season, eventually just going down 36-31, that gives them great heart and the belief they can take on the best.

As Pontypool's head coach Gareth Lintern said: "That game against Neath was a massive onefor us and if the boys hadn't switched and conceded two soft tries then we could have won.

"People are talking about the amount of tries we are scoring and we are up to the required standard of this league. We still have some areas to put right and I'm sure Aberavon will test us.

"The biggest thing we've had to get used to in the Premiership is the concentration levels.

"The game is a lot quicker and if you take your eye off the situation,somebody else has got to jump in for you. The other thing is that the skill levels are very high."

On facing Aberavon, Lintern said: "They are a very formidable outfit who are going very well at the moment and they'll be a hard test.

"Aberavon have a very good coach in Simon King also Wales Under-18 coach and scored 28 unanswered points in the second half against Glamorgan Wanderers last week (the Wizards won 38-17 at home). And of course they have a great home record."

Lintern said the mood in Pooler's camp was good: "Things are good after the win against Swansea last Saturday and we are improving all the time, although we have to by the nature of this league. We're certainly capable of taking a scalp."

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)