THE good times just keep on coming for Pontypool this season.

Leighton Jones’ charges have not only won all of their league games, they are now into the second round of the WRU National Cup.

And they were full value for this afternoon’s 19-11 defeat of Principality Premiership side Llanelli at Parc y Scarlets.

Not only was today’s tie a chance for Pooler to progress in the competition, it was also an opportunity to send out a message to Welsh club rugby’s elite.

Because of ring-fencing, the Premiership is out of bounds to Pooler over the next couple of years, so the fact this win came against one of the big boys would have made it that extra bit sweeter.

It was Llanelli that started the stronger, taking the game to their opponents right from the off.

But with the hosts failing to take advantage of their strong opening, Pooler made them pay with an early try for scrum-half Aaron Quick.

The score seemed to come out of nothing as a break down the left ended with the aptly-named Quick sprinting over in the corner.

Matthew Jones, who kicked superbly on the whole, missed the conversion from out wide.

Llanelli struck back but were again guilty of sloppiness.

A lost lineout on their own throw and then a knock-on was followed by fly-half Jones nailing a penalty from range.

Everything was going Pooler’s way at this point.

Jones missed touch with a penalty on the centre spot, only for the hosts to gift them the ball back courtesy of a kick that went straight out of play.

Jones almost extended the lead with a drop-goal but a deflection took it wide.

Centre Jonny Lewis was about the only member of the Llanelli team to have a good day with the boot.

He landed a penalty to make it 8-3, although he also missed one on the stroke of half-time, although it was from the halfway line.

However, Lewis narrowed the gap to two points early in the second period.

But Pooler responded and they were given a great chance to pull clear again when Llanelli wing Gwion Jones knocked on under his own posts.

But, despite going through phase after phase following the resulting scrum, Pooler couldn’t break through.

A few minutes later they were behind.

Scrum-half Rhodri Cole made the initial sniping run and, after the ball had gone through numerous pairs of hands, Lewis crashed over but squandered the easy conversion.

Lewis’ try after Pooler’s missed opportunity might have been a key point in the first round tie.

But, Pontypool stayed calm and Jones levelled things up at 11-11 with another penalty.

He was off target from further out soon after but that didn’t matter, as with less than 10 minutes to go the visitors made the crucial breakthrough.

Jones, Richard East and Aaron Coundley showed great hands in midfield and the thrust down the right ended with replacement hooker Alex Watkins wriggling over.

The win, and a place in the second round, was sealed late on thanks to a third Jones penalty.

Jones was at the centre of everything for Pooler, while the likes of flanker Rob Nash, lock Gareth Rusby-Davies and Quick made big claims for man of the match.

Scorers; Llanelli – Tries: J Lewis, Pens: J Lewis (2)

Scorers; Pontypool – Tries: A Quick, B Sparks, Pens: M Jones (3)

Llanelli: K Evans (L Randell 15); A Evans, N Edwards, J Lewis (M Flanagan 64), G Jones; I Hughes (P Davies 35), R Cole; R Fawcett (D Jacobs 77), G George (R Bassett 80+2), S Gardiner (T Kaijaks 53), A Powell (capt), B Davies (C Long 72), L Pike, O Morgan (N Hart 59), T Lloyd.

Pontypool: K Meek; M Thorley, D Robinson, S Tu’ipulotu, R Usher; M Jones, A Quick (R Dyer 80+7); A Coundley, B Parry (A Watkins 72), O Drake (R Harford 59), G Rusby-Davies, R East, J Williams (C Watson-Boycott 80+5), R Nash, B Sparks. Reps not used: J Jeune, T Hancock, J Hurley, M Thomas.

Referee: Gareth Newman (WRU)

Argus star man: Rob Nash (Pontypool)