22/09/07 Pontefract v Ossett
The seconds played Ossett firsts in a curtain raiser to the first team game.
It was a baptism of fire for the Moor lane youngsters, and although hard to stomach
there were plenty
of positives for this weekends Merit XV clash at York Seconds.
It was clear from the off that Ossetts strong side would provide a tough test.
A pushover try after ten minutes set the tone as Ponte struggled to keep the
ball away from the
powerful visitors pack.
But they did score the best try of the game, young Mathew Fox getting a touch
down
in the corner after some superb inter-passing between forwards and backs.
Turning round only 15-5 down was testament to the fighting spirit of Ponte's
young guns.
But Ossett ran in five unanswered tries on the restart, including a hat trick
for their
influential No 8 Dykes.
Final Score Pontefract 5 Ossett 48
15/09/07 Pontefract 2nds v Old Crossleyans
The seconds, having their first run of the season found Crossleyans too strong.
The well organised visitors started well and went ahead after ten minutes but
Ponte ' improved as the
half continued and if Chris Ward had brought his kicking
boots, they could well have regained the lead.
Three penalty attempts went wide
of the mark.
Undeterred, the home youngsters piled on the pressure and were rewarded with
a debut try for Lee Holmes.
Mathew Fox's conversion meant the sides turned round at 7-7.
Croc's made full use of territorial advantage on the re-start, scoring two tries
to take the score to 19-7.
To make matters worse Ponte's petulant scrum half Simon Fletcher was sin -binned
for persistant back- chat,
the subsequent penalty was converted.
The side refused to roll over and good work from both the pack and backs set
up position for
young James Brownsword to cross the line ,but it was too little
too late
and the away side converted a late penalty to complete the scoring.
Best for Pontefract were Lee Holmes and Mathew Fox.
Final score Pontefract 12 Old Crossleyans 25
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7/10/06 Pontefract 2nds v Sandal 2nds
Honours ended even in an excellent that saw
Sandal take an early lead.
Mikey Hayward`s penalty put Ponte on the
board but this sparked a excellent response from the home side,who surged ahead
17-12 at the break.James Parry`s superb break was finished by
Mark Catterall for a blistering length of the field score, goaled by Hayward,
and Hayward supported Paul Nowak`s break for another seven pointer. Sandal
regained the lead with a try and a penalty but gradually the host`s front three
of Armstrong, Swift and Field got on top and 2
nd rower's Davies
,Armstrong and Houchen provided the stability lacking in the first half . Nowak
went over out wide to level the scores after neat passing from scrum-half Dave
Wright and powerful centre pairing of Parry and Stevie Hayward . Then Jake
Brady profited from superb work from the pack to power over. But Sandal
snatched a draw with a converted try from the final play of the game . Ponte
back row of Brady, Danny Adamson and Tommy Bateman were destructive and few
could argue with Sandal's choice to name the influential Micky Hayward as man
of the match .
Pontefract 2nds 29 V Sandal 2nds
29
21/10/06 Pontefract 2nds v Wheatley Hills
An inexperianced Pontefract side were eventually
overpowered. Despite taking an early lead as a result off a magnificent passing
move along
the backs.Pontefract could not make their superiority in this department count.
The first try came when quick handling by backs, Stevie and Mickey
Hayward,James Parry,Rob Novak and Andy Townsend culminated in Mark Catterall
scoring. Wheatley Hills responded with a score under the sticks, as a result from
a
Pontefract error from a scrum. Mickey Hayward kicked a penalty to put
Pontefract 8-7 up but the visitors took the lead in injury time as a result of
another defensive mistake when the home side failed to clear their lines. Wheatley
increased their lead to 15-8 with a penalty early in the second period, but
Pontefract bravely fought back to cut the gap.
Hayward kicked through for Paul Novak to
collect and surge to the line. He was tackled just short but superbly
off-loaded for
Hayward
to score. However this was Pontefract`s final contribution as the visitors went
on to win. The back row of Adamson, Brady and Bateman all performed well as did
the rest of the forwards but the young backs were unable to capitalise on their
obvious superiority. Wheatley Hills deserved credit for hanging on under
pressure and breaking away to score. They were also much more aggresive in the
close quarter contact. When Pontefract learn to play a better percentage game
they will be difficult to live with.
Pontefract 2nds 13 Wheatley Hills
29
28/10/06 Pontefract v Wharfedale
Pontefract`s long awaited return to form came in Saturdays handsome win.
Pontefract went ahead with a long range try when back rower Stevie Hayward fed
centre Andy Townsend who drew in Wharfedale`s winger, which allowed
Pontefract`s winger Declan O`Mullane the space to sprint 50 metres to score out
wide. Wharfedale hit back when poor defensive work at a ruck and then a penalty
allowed Wharfedale to take a 8-5 lead. Captain Colin Swift put Pontefract back
in front by charging over for a try that Mikey
hayward converted to make it 12-8 at half-time. The second half started with sustained
Pontefract pressure, and
Swift was unstoppable from ten metres to score under the posts. Hayward
converted.Pontefract`s forwards were too strong for the visitors with front row
Rich Armstrong and veteran props John Trevorrow and Mark Armstrong ably
supported by locks Swift and Brady. Tommy Bateman had his usual destructive game
in defence. When a series of replacements were made,Kev Day and Paul Banfield
continued the
good work in the back row, while Andy Brown added his weight to the locks. Pontefract`s
backs took full advantage from abundant possesion to continue
their dominance. A superb move started by scrum half Simon Fletcher and Rob
Novak ended with Andy Hayward putting in Novak for a converted try. Novak then
scored again before he unselfishly sent in Andy Townsend for a try
when he had a hat-trick opportunity. Joe Davies replaced Andy Hayward in the
backs before Mikey Hayward completed the try scoring with a final try.
Pontefract 41 v Wharfedale 8
4/11/06 Bradford Salem v Pontefract
Pontefract seconds had
Salem under real pressure for the first
twenty minutes of this game. The pack were particularly strong, with regulars
Mark Armitage, Andy Brown and Dave Brady strengthened by the addition of Andy
Merkin and Richard Taylor. Simon Fletcher initiated the move that saw flying
winger Andy Hayward sail in at the corner and Mikey Hayward then joined the
line to create the wingers second try. But easing off proved fatal as
Salem levelled the score
at the break. Colin Swift and Gavin Wright went on to beef up the pack and the
try avalanche started as Rob Nowak went over and
the try was converted by substitute Cooper, Paul Nowak went over for his second
try after fine work from the backs, then flanker Stevie Hayward paved the way
for Andy Townend to cross. Cooper and James Parry did the spadework for the
final two touchdowns while Tommy Bateman and Joe Davies provided solid defensive
work.
Bradford 10 V Pontefract
45
11/11/06 Bridlington v Pontefract
Ponte extended their winning run with a
comprehensive victory in atrocious conditions. Both sides struggled with the
conditions but the visitors found their way half way through the first half
when the pack set up some good ball for the backs to prosper. Paul Nowack went
close a couple of times before Cooper scored a penalty in front of the posts
after sustained pressure. Impressive scrum half Matty Ossack retrieved the ball
from a ruck to free up fly half Mikey Hayward. James Parry crashed the ball up
to commit the defence.
Hayward
then spotted the weakness out wide and sent a raking pass to winger Cooper to
score out wide. The scorer then converted against a gale of a wind. This left
Ponte with a half time lead of 10 – 0. The pack performed much better at the
line out with Richard Armitage regularly hitting Dave and Jake Brady and
providing good ball for the backs. Ponte were also dominant in the scrum with
veteran
props Mark Armitage and Colin Swift controlling the set pieces. Joe Davies and
Gavin Wright hit rucks with purpose and got around the field effectively.
Full back Rob Nowak added to the attacking moves by returning good ball
consistently. Cooper started the scoring in the second half with a length of
the field interception, which he goaled. The final score was a beautifully
worked move which ended with Mikey Hayward drawing the full back to allow Lee
White to time his run and cross for a try. Stevie Hayward was again a constant
irritation to Bridlington by combining aggressive defence with creativity with
the ball in his hands. Tommy Bateman came on for the final quarter to add his
usual tackling to a good team defensive effort. Veteran Shaun Parry made his
return to add his experience in and around the contact area.
Bridlington 0 Pontefract 22
25/11/06 Huddersfield YMCA v Pontefract
The proverbial game of two halves. The away side started slowly and were
dragged down to their opponents level by getting involved in a very niggly and
disjointed game.
Huddersfield took
the lead from a dubious quick tap penalty which they converted. Ponte went on
the attack and Lee Moorhouse raced 70 yards to be pulled down just short of the
line. YMCA scored a field goal to lead 10 – 0 at half time.
A churchillian speech by Shaun Perry rallied the troops, but YMCA went further
ahead with another penalty. Ponte then took over and the backs profited from
committed work by the forwards. Captain Colin Swift was sin-binned for removing
an opponent from the ruck area forcibly. Stand in prop Tommy Bateman was
aggressive as ever. Andy Brown raced 50 yards to create a chance only for
winger Paul Nowack to be pulled down just short. Lee White linked superbly with
Rob Nowack to create another chance for the winger but he was again pulled down
just short. The best passage of play started by fly half Nowack resulted in
flanker Stevie Hayward supplying a superbly disguised inside ball for James
Parry to run 30 yards before crashing over for a converted try. Nick Cooper
then use his outstanding pace to score under the posts which he himself
converted.Gavin Wright raided from the back of the scrum, while Mikey Hayward
playing out of position at scrum half distributed excellent ball to the backs.
The game degenerated as
Huddersfield continued
their aggressive play including stamping on the face of Parry senior. This
eventually resulted in a battlefield just before the final whistle. The referee
thankfully blew the final whistle, and like true sportsmen, both sides kissed
and made up.
A very hard fought victory for Pontefract, a credit to all the players taking
part.
Huddersfield 13 Pontefract 14
2/12/06 Pontefract v Ilkley
Ilkley
opened the scoring after the home side had a try mysteriously disallowed to
lead 7 – 0. Ponte stormed back and flanker Stevie Hayward scored from 30 yards
after good work from half back Matthew Hossack.
Mikey
Haywardconverted to level the scores. Ponte kept up the
pressure and from a quickly taken penalty James Brady powered over from long
range to score a converted try to lead 14 – 7. Ilkley replied with another
short range try to go into half time level on 14 – 14. The half time team talk
was much easier this week as every player was performing to their limit.
Richard Taylor playing out of position at hooker was inspirational with Tommy
Bateman performing his usual destruction at the break downs. Jake Brady took on
the Ilkley pack and drove them back while Gavin Wright also plundered yards
from the back of the scrum. Andy Brown again showed that age is no barrier as
he flew around the pitch like a teenager. Ponte scored early in the second
half with Dave Brady crossing from close range after good work from centre Andy
Townsend. Lee White and Paul Nowak continued to threaten to extend the home
side’s lead, but Ilkley replied with a penalty to close to 19 – 17.
Unfortunately Rob Nowak, who had a good game at full back was forced from the
field and the reshuffle upset Ponte’s flow. Stevie Hayward also had to leave
injured and his aggression was missed as Ilkley piled on the pressure. They
took the lead and held on after Ponte rallied. Replacements Joe Davies and Lee
Moorhouse added late effort and Pontefract could have won the game but for a
dropped pass out wide. Shaun Brady entered the fray late on and almost inspired
a late winner.
Pontefract produced their best performance of the season in defeat
against a side that had put 100 points on some teams this season.
Pontefract 19 Ilkley 24
Pontefract v Bridlington
Pontefract were severely under strength due to the withdrawal of up to six players
shortly before kick-off, and as a result started the game very disorganised. Consequently
the visitors took an early 5 – o lead. Ponte then started to settle and were hard
done by when the ubiquitous Tommy Bateman was denied after crossing the line,
the ref being unsighted. A rearrangement of the tight five concerning Colin Swift,
Mark Armstrong, Andy Merkin and Richard Armstrong brought more balance and Ponte
went from strength to strength. Lee White went close late on in the half after
clever footballing skills were used. There was no further score I n the first
half.
Veteran Alan Boyd was replaced by another in Shaun Parry who created the first
try. His barnstorming run and offload, gave Mikey Hayward an easy try, which he
converted. Excellent work from the pack won a ball against the head and scrum
half Matty Hossack raced sixty yards for another converted try. James Parry continued
to batter the Brid centres and from one such burst Andy Hayward scored out wide
but was again mysteriously denied by the unsighted official. Soon after Gav Wright
scored from number eight as the pack powered over from a five metre scrum. The
final two tries came from flying winger Joe Davies who crossed after good work
by the backs inside him.
Pontefract 31 Bridlington 5
6/1/07 Pontefract v Bradford Salem
An excellent start to the year for the second team, even though the game started
poorly. Bradford came out firing and went 6 – 0 ahead due to a penalty and a drop
goal. After 20 minutes the home side settled down and started to play some attractive
rugby. Dave Thorpe made a break and kicked ahead for wing Paul Nowak to score
in the corner. Richard Armstrong and Andy Brown provided the grunt in the second
row to support a very strong front three of Colin Swift, Andy Merkin and Phil
Armitage. The half finished with Ponte trailing 5 – 6.
Gav Wright, Danny Adamson and Joe Swift joined the fray early on in the second
half to continue the dominant forward power. Flanker Stevie Hayward had his usual
destructive influence on the game.
The second half started with a superb try created by Lee White who broke down
the wing to put in centre James Parry for a try converted by Mikey Hayward. Dave
Brady was involved in the drive which resulted in Captain Swift powering over,
before another excellent passing movement released winger Lee Moorhouse to cross.
The pack produced a superb drive from a lineout for flanker Jake Brady to score.
Then the move of the match ended with centre Andy Hayward taking the ball at pace
and putting in winger Nowak for his second. The final try was the result of a
runaround for fly half Mikey Hayward to cross under the posts. Replacements Paul
Dean and youngster James Brownsword kept up the relentless pressure on Salem,
whose only reply was the same as in the first half, a penalty and a drop goal.
Pontefract 43 Bradford Salem 12
13/01/07 Wheatley Hills v Pontefract
A very difficult game from a makeshift team. Dave Brady and Colin Swift performed
heroically in the front row, not their preferred positions. The other pack members,
Dean, Davies, Brown, Armstrong and Wright all battled on against a very experienced
and well organised opposition.
Wheatley Hills went ahead early on with an unconverted try. Ponte responded when
the impressive scrum half Matthew Hossack raced 70 yards, only to be pulled down
by his head. Nick Cooper stepped up to score a penalty against a gale force wind.
After that, Ponte were unable to win any ball in the scrum or line-out, and hence
struggled. The high scoring centre/winger Paul Nowak never touched the ball, so
much was the home side’s domination. It was a defensive effort for the rest of
the game, with superb tackling from two in particular, centre Lee Moorhouse and
fly half Mikey Hayward. All the players gave their all right to full time and
left the field shattered but unbowed.
Wheatley Hills 42 Pontefract 3
27/01/07 Pontefract v Scarborough
Pontefract again turned out a much change side which took time to settle. The
omens were ominous
after 5 minutes as the visitors crashed over for a try, after
some dubious passing, to make the only
score of the match. Soon Ponte reorganized
and battled courageously. The forwards Mark Armstrong,
Colin Swift, Andy Brown
and Dave Brady became stronger as the game went on.
Flankers Danny Adamson and
the ubiquitous Tommy Bateman battered the Scarborough players,
who boasted an
England Universities back row player.
At half time Ponte made their only available substitution when hooker Richard
Armstrong left the
field to be replaced by a young winger, Steve Wilson. In the
necessary reshuffle Paul Dean switched
from the wing to hooker, and performed
magnificently. Another youngster James Brownsword
completed his first 80 minutes
and proved himself to be one for the future. The half backs,
debutant Tristan
Hibbert and experienced 18 year old Mikey Hayward were excellent
in both attack
and defence. Their efforts enabled the outstanding Lee Moorhouse and centre
partner
Paul Nowak to launch a series of attacks, only to be denied when the ball unluckily
came loose.
Ben Coupe also performed admirably against Scarborough who preferred
to kick rather than be
tackled by a spirited and aggressive Ponte defence.
Last but not least Gav Wright, who usually plays at No 8, fulfilled the role
of full back, such were the
changes the home side had to make to simply put out
a team.
In defeat Ponte again showed the potential they have in the number of players
under 20 year old that
performed well
Next week sees a return match at Sandal with a much stronger side that will expect
to get revenge for
a battering received at Pontefract when Sandal scored to equalise
in “added time”.
Pontefract 2nds 0 – 5 Scarborough
3/2/07 Sandal v Pontefract
Again Pontefract went into a game without
an experienced front row. Mark Armstrong started the game, but was obviously
injured. Colin Swift filled in valiantly at the other prop, outside youngster
Richard Armstrong. Second rowers Jake and Dave Brady added power and the back
rowers Andy Brown, Gav Wright and Nick Vaughan tried to steady the scrum
against very experienced Sandal opposition.
Pontefract went in front with a Mikey
Hayward penalty before going behind 5 – 3. Ponte again took the lead after a
great pick up from an under pressure scrum by Wright who fed impressive half
back Matty Hossack to streak in from 30 yards.
Hayward converted
from under the sticks. The home side took the half time lead with a converted
try
on the whistle.
Sandal extended their lead early in the
second half, but Ponte were rewarded with another long distance try from
Hossack. Da ve Thorpe had a solid game in defence along with winger Ben Coupe.
Andy Thorpe filled the other wing berth. Andy Hayward had an impressive game at
full back chimimg into the attacking line as well as defending well.
Replacements Bradshaw and Giles filled in well when required.
Pontefract15 Sandal 29
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