Fixture

Pontypool Utd: 54

Dowlais: 9

A harsh defeat for Dowlais this week after months without an away match this week at Pontypool Utd.

Despite first impressions of the score, the first half proved quite close between both sides for the most part, with both sides kicking an early penalty and making ground steadily but being unable to score. Dowlais then slowly inched ahead with two tricky penalties kicked by Steve James, with it looking as though the visitors would be able to finally break away from the home side a little bit.

Little did everyone involved know that those would be Dowlais’ last points of the game. After a close call on their own try-line and a failed lineout, Dowlais conceded their first try. Any hopes of leading going into the second half were dashed quickly however with another unconverted Pontypool Utd try to pull them ahead right before the end of the half, leaving Dowlais 13-9 down.

Despite the manageable gap in points, Dowlais failed to pose an offensive threat from very early on in the second half, on the defense constantly, rarely in Pontypool Utd’s twenty-two and being dominated in even their own scrums. Into the final quarter of the game, Dowlais’ defense simply couldn’t hold a candle to Pontypool Utd’s line speed and any of their own attempts at striking back were swiftly dismissed.

Dowlais would go on to concede six tries in the second half, three of which were converted, without managing to put a single point on the board the entire forty-minutes.

Not much to say in regards to the overall performance other than that Dowlais were simply overwhelmed by a side more offensively capable than they were without having the means to effectively defend either, leading to a general thrashing in all aspects of the game.

Going forward, one can only hope that Dowlais simply becomes more prepared to deal with these kinds of games and to truly be at threat to their opponents for the entire match instead of dropping off with the start of the second half.

Next week, Dowlais play Senghennydd away.