Match Reports 2007/8
Tredegar (7) Pontypool (19)
January 29th, 2008
( THE MEL SAMUEL MEMORIALCUP)
Pontypool made a rare visit to the Rec where they just shaded Tredegar to win the Mel Samuel Memorial cup.
Initiated by Mel’s family the cup is only competed for between Tredegar & Pontypool, with the cup remaining permanently on display in the clubhouse in memory of the Tredegar stalwart who served the club, not only as a player but as a life long official.
Australian Academy player James Atwill made his debut in the Tredegar front row while Martin Vaughan also made an appearance in a Tredegar shirt. Ian Marsh returned to put some authority in midfield & the coaches took the opportunity to run the rule over some up and coming youngsters including Dorian Williams who provided the perfect foil to Jamie Noble in the boiler house.
Whilst Pontypool are high flying in Division 1, Tredegar repeated their magnificent team effort against Aberavon and stole into the lead when the front row of Atwill, Harwood & Osborne gave the much vaunted Pontypool front row a lesson in scrummaging, when they shunted the visiting pack over their try line with the ref awarding the home side a penalty try, converted by Greg Jones. With Tredegar enjoying territorial advantage Pontypool could not get on the scoresheet and Tredegar lead at the interval. Ringing the changes in the second half Pontypool brought on their big guns with an immediate injection of pace & were more aggressive in the loose. They were immediately rewarded with a converted try to level the scores.
This stirred Tredegar on who completely dominated the visitors, spending virtually all the second half camped in Pooler’s 22. With the ref unsighted, a perfectly good Tredegar try was disallowed and even with the sin binning of Atwill, Tredegar more than held their own. To Pooler’s credit whilst their line was besieged their discipline held and they did not concede any penalties and their well marshalled defence kept the rampaging Tredegar forwards at bay.
Despite all this pressure Tredegar could not break the defence and on the two rare occasions Pontypool managed to venture into the Tredegar half they put in two killer punches touching down twice to just edge a hard fought encounter 19 points to 7. Tredegar’s performance was out of the top draw and the players and coaches can take great comfort out of this display and shows that when Tredegar mix it with the big boys they can more than hold their own & their form in Division 2 is not a true reflection of the talent in the squad.
Mel Sam would have been proud and delighted at the efforts of his beloved Tredegar. Tredegar are due to play Pontypridd on the Friday night prior to Wales v Scotland & league duty returns on the 16th when Tredegar visit Mountain Ash