Narberth 16 - Pontypool 18: After heavy rain the previous day, the Lewis Lloyd ground was a surprise to see, with the pitch in such good condition, but likely to be heavy underfoot.

Pontypool, unbeaten in 49 games, arrived with an army of loyal supporters to add to a large crowd eager to witness the clash. They were not disappointed, for the Otters had no intention of giving way to the league leaders.

The Otters had to make a change from the previous week with second row forward Ryan Bean injured and Jake Simm having received surgery of his hand. In their place, Tom Kajack moved from the front row with Dan Jacobs replacing him.

The Otters kicked off and for the next few minutes attacked Pooler in their half. On three minutes, a scrum was called on the halfway line. The ball was served into it and in seconds came out on the tight-head. Pooler winger Lloyd Lewis gathered the ball and, seeing his way to the line clear, raced up the far touchline to score an unconverted try. The try was awarded, but some officials would have reset the scrum.

The Otters restarted and it seemed a kicking duel was likely, until Pontypool put the ball in touch. From the Otters’ lineout, the ball was moved from left to right, with hooker Rhodri Owens breaking forward. Pooler brought him down, but the Otters rucked well, Ryan Lane fed the ball to Jonathan Rogers, who repeated the previous week’s drop goal with ease, bringing the score to 3-5.

Another kicking duel then ensued. Pooler were chasing every kick, while the Otters played for safety and kicked into touch.

We then witnessed typical Pooler tactics from the lineout as they immediately set up a rolling maul before releasing fly-half Mathew Lewis to place the ball into touch on the Otters’ 22.

Recognising Narberth’s threat on home turf, Pooler were lying close to them at every opportunity and being really aggressive in the exchanges, with the Otters standing up to the pressure.

It was becoming a torrid battle. Pooler forced the Otters back into their 22, gaining a penalty at the breakdown and Mathew Lewis put the ball into touch on the five-metre line by the clubhouse. From the lineout, they set up a rolling maul, but the Otters’ pack was equal to the technique and thwarted Pooler and managed to get the ball to Jack Price, who kicked down field, before fullback Geraint Walsh moved the ball to the opposite side of the field where the Otters closed him down.

Then Pooler were penalised for offside, enabling Jonathan Rogers to kick to the Pooler 22. Gaining the ball, the Otters moved across from the stand side, but the move broke down when the passed ball was dropped.

The Otters regained possession and Jack Price made a powerful break and, although tackled, he managed to force his way through before slipping to the ground. At the ruck, the Otters were again penalised.

Then on 27 minutes, with Pooler on the attack in the Otters’ half, the ball broke loose and, reacting quickly, Nick Gale kicked it down field. The Pontypool winger was unable to control the ball, enabling Nick to kick forward again and easily win the sprint to the touch down. He followed this with an excellent conversion to put the Otters 10-5 ahead.

Pooler responded aggressively to finding themselves behind, but the Otters defended with good organisation and equal aggression, stopping every attempt to break through, even at a scrum 10 metres from the Otters line, when Rhys Lane was able to put in a relieving kick into touch on his 22.

The Otters pack put pressure on Pooler, enabling wing Will Lewis to kick ahead and break forward. He gathered the ball, making many metres before being tackled. Seasoned watchers wondered if he had kicked on instead of gathering the ball whether he might have made the try line.

Pooler were making much use of their heavier pack, but a stout defence held them back.

Close to half-time, Mathew Lewis kicked Pooler to the Otters’ corner. At the lineout, a maul was formed, but held back, only for the Otters to be penalised and for Richard Rees to be sent to the sin bin.

Again Pooler attempted the same tactic, but the Otters held out and the siege was relieved when the referee blew for half-time after playing six minutes of injury time with the Otters still 10-5 ahead.

The second half started with both fullbacks attempting a kicking duel, before Ianto Griffiths put the ball into touch on halfway.

The Otters replaced Rhys Lane, who had suffered several heavy tackles, bringing Lewys Gibby into his position. The difference between the two scrum-halves, besides age, is that Lewys has a longer pass, enabling Jonathan Rogers to position himself further back away from the Pooler back row.

However, two minutes later, on 45 minutes, Pooler levelled the score with an unconverted try by flanker Mikey Herbert, who broke through the Otters’ defence to cross the line and touch down.

For the next 10 minutes, Pooler stepped up their pressure in an aggressive manner, with both defences putting in some brutal tackles.

The Otters were awarded a penalty for Nick Gale to step up and successfully kick them back into a three-point lead at 13-10.

A few minutes later, the Otters were defending another forceful Pooler attack when on their 22 there was an unfortunate injury affecting flanker Steffan Phillips. His cries of agony were heard around the ground and play stopped for 10 minutes while attention and efforts made by both club physios to reduce the pain and make Steffan more comfortable. A huge round of applause broke out when Steffan rose from his static ground position and was able, with assistance, to walk off the field of play with his right arm encompassed in a firm support. In his place, Andrew Cooke came off the subs bench.

A scrum restarted the game, Pooler were awarded a penalty, from which Mathew Lewis levelled the score at 13-13.

This was followed a few minutes later with the Otters regaining the lead with another Nick Gale penalty.

As the game wore on, the Pooler captain, prop Aaron Coundley’s exchanges with the referee became louder and more detailed.

The Otters coaches brought Bradley Davies off the bench, creating some adjustment in the front row, with Tom Slater withdrawing.

The Otters continued their attempts to break through the Pooler defence and a diagonal break by Keiron Jones saw him tackled just five metres from the try line.

A successful ruck saw Jonathan Rogers throw a long pass which reached Nick Gale, who raced towards the line before being pulled down. Via the ruck, the ball was moved quickly towards the clubhouse side, where Pooler were penalised for lying offside. The Otters kicked to the corner and formed a maul from gthe lineout, but the possession was lost enabling Pooler to force their way downfield.

On 76 minutes, they were awarded a penalty, from which Mathew Lewis kicked to touch in the Otters’ 22. At the lineout, they formed a maul, before quickly releasing the ball for Mathew Lewis to break the defensive wall and score an unconverted try. The score was now 16-18.

Unfortunately, the Otters’ kickout from the halfway line went directly into touch, thus enabling Pooler to scrummage and retain the ball.

Gethin Gibby replaced Will Lewis for the final moments before the referee blew time after five minutes of injury time.

Later the Otters’ defence coach, Jon Dodd, commented: “It was a very hard game, very physical. We probably gave Pontypool their hardest game of the season, we are disappointed we lost. Everything went to the game plan. There was more kicking and chasing than we normally do, but that was because of the quality of Pontypool. Defensively we were very good, but we spent long periods of time without the ball and it took its toll. We took our breakaway try very well, but there were other chances we might have taken. We played excellently and for the spectator it was a good game to watch. The team from one to 15 put in a very good performance. Nick Gale with his place kicking was excellent and kept us going. So with those thoughts in mind, we can go forward in the remaining games and win them all.”

Narberth fielded: Ianto Griffiths, Nick Gale, Keiron Jones, Jack Price, Will Lewis (Gethin Gibby), Jonathan Rogers, Rhys Lane (Lewys Gibby), Dan Jacobs (Bradley Davies), Tom Slater, Tom Kajack, Alex Jenkins (capt.), Steffan Philips (Andrew Cooke), Tom Phillips, Richard Rees.