PONTYPOOL coach Louie Tonkin has hailed the way his injury-hit squad have started their promotion challenge as they prepare for the visit of SSE Swalec Championship champions Bargoed, writes Chris Kirwan.

Pooler have a lengthy list of absentees but rallied to win on their travels to Narberth and Newbridge with those successes sandwiching a home loss to fellow title hopefuls Swansea.

A tricky start to the campaign sees them travel to big-spending Merthyr next week after a clash with a Bargoed side that romped to the title last season.

“We’ve had terrible luck with injuries with 14 missing last week and at the moment it is 11,” said former Carmarthen Quins boss Tonkin, who took the Pooler reins in the summer.

“We responded really well and we were even more dominant at Newbridge than the 25-17 score suggests so I am really pleased with the character shown.

“We set a target of three wins out of the first five and if we can achieve that despite our injury problems that would be fantastic and we will be in a stronger position when boys are back in a couple of weeks.”

Tomorrow’s visitors were stunned by Beddau on opening weekend and then pipped at RGC 1404 but were back to winning ways at Cardiff Met last weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough task against Bargoed because they are picking up momentum and have a massive pack,” said Tonkin.

“It’s a big challenge, and they did the double over us last year, but hopefully we can do the job.”

Newbridge suffered a first defeat of the season but it has still been an encouraging start to the campaign by Neil Edwards’ men, who started with wins against RGC 1404 and Cardiff Met.

They travel west to Tata Steel tomorrow afternoon attempting to repeat February’s super 29-21 success out west.

Other fixtures: Beddau v Newcastle Emlyn, Bridgend Ath v Glynneath, Cardiff Met v Merthyr, RGC 1404 v Llanharan