The Rugby Paper

Pooler 13-points clear with a game in hand

Welsh Championsh­ip round-up

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PONTYPOOL strengthen­ed their place at the top with a 34-5 win over nearest rivals Ystrad Rhondda.

It took Pooler just nine minutes to get off the mark as hooker Darren Hughes went over for his first try for the club.

Lloyd Lewis added the next score crossing in the right corner to hand Pontypool a 12-0 lead at the break.

The pressure mounted in the second half as the Gwent outfit built on their first-half lead and tries from lock Danny Hodge and Lloyd Lewis stretched the advantage to 22 points.

Pooler’s Kieran Meek received a yellow card for tackling a man without the ball but it mattered little as Aaron Quick added to a penalty try for the unbeaten leaders before Kurtis Williams grabbed a consolatio­n try for the visitors.

Pooler’s day was made better after third-placed Cardiff Met were beaten 2520 at Maesteg Quins.

Lewis Tutt had plenty to smile about on his his 250th Quins appearance as he touched down to help them come from behind.Jay Ronan and Matthew Davies were also on the scoresheet with Owen Howe kicking the rest of the points.

Russ Bennett bagged 15 points for Cardiff Met but he couldn’t prevent a fourth consecutiv­e defeat.

Narberth hung onto their unbeaten home run as they hit back to pip Beddau 14-13. Nick Gale booted three penalties but Matthew Davies sealed the win with a late try.

Josh Thomas got Beddau’s only try while Hywel Chatham kicked eight points.

The only other game to go ahead saw Bedlinog beat Tata Steel 19-14 – their third win in four games. Dan Parry was the architect as he struck four penalties as well as the conversion to Dan Parry’s try. Morgan Williams and Callum Bricknell hit back for Tata with Phillips and Bricknell both adding conversion­s.

Newbridge v Rhydyfelin and Trebanos v Newcastle Emlyn fell foul of the weather, leaving Emlyn seven points from safety but with games in hand.

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