ASDA Rugby league Division One East front-runners Pontypool secured maximum league points as they beat a rugged Rumney side 17-30 at Riverside Park.

But, in truth, this was a below-par performance by Pooler who never managed to generate any fluency in their play.

Tries by full back Darren Pearce, lock Chris Edwards and centre Richie Jenkins - along with a penalty try - earned the visitors a bonus point in addition to the four points for victory. Outside-half Stuart Lawrence, who captained the side in the absence of hooker Leighton Jones, kicked two penalties and two conversions.

Newly promoted Rumney chalked up tries by hooker Michael Feneck, lock Joe Mills and replacement flanker Emyr James, while clever outside-half Danny Clark added a conversion.

There were two really crucial moments in the match.

The first came after 36 minutes when referee Mr Huw Williams (Neath) awarded a penalty try to the visitors after judging that wing Gavin Fergusson had been illegally impeded as he was poised to pounce for a corner try after a kick had been charged down.

Pooler had trailed 10-8 up to that point and they extended their lead at the interval to 20-10 when Edwards snapped up an unconverted try.

Another turning-point came in the 69th minute when Rumney replacement hooker Jason Kemble was sent to the sin-bin. That enabled Pooler to further tighten their grip up front. Three minutes later Jenkins split the home defence to cross for a try at the posts.

Gareth Jenkins, one of Pontypool's assistant coaches, commented after the match: "This was a tough game for us. We didn't function well in the scrums or at the lineout so we could not really get our game going. But we got what we were looking for - a win and the extra bonus point."

Rumney coach Steve Ford said: "It was always going to be tough for us against Pontypool, especially up front. They showed their class."

Rumney: A Solomon (G Manning 55), L Palmer, S McIntyre, P Niblett (capt), T Daley, D Clark, C Miller, J Leadbeatter (C Maynard 79), M Feneck (J Kemble 60), C Fitzpatrick, J Mills, M Kelly, R Sutton (S Greedy 55 ), M Way (E James 62) and S Coles.

Tries: M Feneck (14 mins), J Mills (22 mins) and E James (80 + 2 mins); con: D Clark.

Pontypool: D Pearce, J Henthorne (N Daniel 65), P Price, R Jenkins, G Fergusson, S Lawrence (capt), G Best (A Quick 67), N Giles, J Jeune (J Chaperon 64), N Blake, J Noble, C Edwards, L Edwards (B Salt 57), C Trayherne and N Coughlin.

Tries: D Pearce (9 mins), Penalty Try (36 mins), C Edwards (40 mins), R Jenkins (72 mins).

Pens: S Lawrence (28 and 44 mins). Cons: S Lawrence (2).

Referee: Mr Huw Williams (Neath).