Leighton Jones was pleased to see Pontypool RFC pick up maximum points following a seven-week absence but reserved plenty of praise for visitors Glamorgan Wanderers RFC.
Head coach Jones mentioned his players might not be able to hit the heights they would normally reach due to a lack of match fitness before the game but they still managed to cross the whitewash seven times to record a comfortable victory.
Matthew Jarvis touched down for his first Pontypool try and added another 13 points from the tee.
Ieuan Jones followed on from his double in the last encounter against the Wanderers with the second try of the afternoon and was followed over the line by Adam Stratton, Darren Hughes, Amosa Nove and Garin Price. Referee Andrew Moule also awarded Pooler a penalty try.
Fly-half Harrison James bagged a consolation penalty for the Wanderers.
“There’s five points on offer and we’re at home,” said Jones.
“We always back ourselves at home and we’ve taken the five points and that’s great.
“But as always we will review the game and we’ll look at our work-ons because there are certain areas that did let us down.
“We scored some nice tries and overall we are happy with that.
“We went off the boil a bit in the second half, some two-on-ones we didn’t execute and we dropped some balls but on the flip side they stuck in, the Wanderers, and they really fought to the last minute.”
Despite the scoreline the Wanderers offered plenty of threat and showed great defensive awareness to deny Pooler on numerous occasions and Jones was impressed with the commitment and attitude of the visitors until the final whistle.
“There was no rolling over from them they really stuck in and gave us a go so full credit to them,” he continued.
“They fronted up for eighty minutes and they did stop us finishing the game off as we wanted to.
“They defended really well, there were a few individual players who didn’t put a foot wrong all game defensively.
“They were coming in and stopping our flow and hats off to them.
“Other teams have rolled over but them boys really put a shift in for their team.”
After having no games for seven weeks, it’s now two games in eight days as focus shifts to next weekend’s trip to Narberth.
“It’s been a frustrating season,” Jones said.
“We’ve tried to train with a bit of intensity but nothing is like playing.
“I’m sure some of the boys will be aching and a bit sore tomorrow but we will look on Tuesday and Thursday and what we’ve got to build on going into Narberth.”
