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Tough task for Pooler
PONTPOOL and Newbridge go toe-to-toe at Pontypool Park tomorrow with the visitors determined to derail their hosts' promotion charge.
The last week has proved to be a massive one in the fight for top spot with Pooler grabbing a controversial late win at Bargoed with a penalty try deep into injury time and Caerphilly going down to defeat to Blackwood at Virginia Park.
It means that while Gareth Lintern's side remain second in the table, they are pole position to seal a return to the top flight.
The Cheesemen are four points clear of Pooler but have played two games more, while it is unlikely that Bargoed and Blackwood will cap their excellent seasons with top spot.
But Pontypool are fully aware that any slip-ups give hope to their rivals and the game is sure to be a tricky one with Bridge in great form.
"They have got a very good coaching team and it is sure to be an interesting game," said Lintern. "Everybody seems to think that a game with Newbridge will all be about the battle up front but Newbridge have got some players in the backs that I really admire as well as their forwards.
"We have got two games in hand but both ourselves and Caerphilly have got tough run-ins and there are sure to be some hard games. It's a cliche but it really is a case of one game at a time and we just need to keep it going.
"It was nice to beat Bargoed on their own patch but we realise that it was only four points and we need to follow it up."
Newbridge stretched their unbeaten run to six games with victory over Llantrisant last weekend and there is excitement in the camp at tomorrow's big clash.
"Games like this are what you play the sport for and we are all looking forward to it," said team manager Chris Jones. "We are going well at the moment and we are looking to keep the momentum going until the end of the season and into the next.
"We have come on leaps and bounds in recent weeks and we are playing with confidence. We weren't at our best last weekend but still won and the aim is to keep the run going against a good Pontypool side.
"It is a happy camp at the moment, the coaching team of Byron (Hayward), Mark (Thomas) and myself seems to be going well and a lot of players have indicated they want to stay for next season, so it bodes well.
"We have brought in some quality players and the likes of (fly-half) Gavin Ashman are firing and he is such an important player for the club."
Caerphilly will be looking for Bridge to do them a favour but also need to negotiate a tricky trip to Newport Saracens.
Sarries were hit hard by defeat to Llanharan last weekend and need to convert games in hand into points if they are to climb away from the bottom of the table.
Fleur-de-Lys are the only side beneath them and they travel to Llantrisant while Blackwood will be looking to build on Tuesday's cracking win at Virginia Park when they host Rumney. The other clash sees Bargoed travel to Llanharan.
4:37pm Friday 28th March 2008
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