PICTURE GALLERY: Outstanding Pontefract end Old Brods’ unbeaten start to season

They were up against an Old Brodleians side riding high with wins in all five of their first games this season and with try bonus points from four of those matches.

But in perfect conditions for rugby it was Pontefract – who had won three and lost two of their first five league games – who rose to the occasion to be celebrating this time after a 26-18 success.

Ponte’s set piece was much improved to previous weeks and with the team on the front foot they raced into a 10-0 advantage.

Firstly, prop Josh Hough was pulled down inches short for Jack Beddis to pick and drive to the line. Soon after it looked like a pushover try from a scrum, but Beddis picked up and fed scrum-half Linden Metcalfe for a five pointer.

Ponte were on fire and should have extended the lead only for a final pass to go astray with the line begging.

Brods then showed why they were thus far unbeaten and, aided by Ponte’s ill discipline at the tackle and breakdown, put pressure on the home line before scoring two similar tries from catch and drive line-outs, to bring the scores level at half-time.

Pontefract managed to retake the lead early in the second half as winger Josh Milthorpe made a break out wide before feeding debutant Will Dagger on the inside for a brilliant try.

Liam Kay’s conversion hit the post, but he made no mistake with a penalty soon after to enable the hosts to take an eight points advantage.

The visitors reduced the arrears with a penalty of their own, but Ponte managed to score their final, and bonus point try, as superb hands along the backline found Milthorpe at full tilt to force his way over.

Brods put the game back in the melting pot as more penalties allowed them to kick to the corner and secure another catch and drive effort.

This brought the game back to one score, but a well struck penalty from near the half-way line by Kay, secured the win and sent Brods home empty handed.

There were many fine performances from Ponte. Beddis took the man of the match award, closely followed by Tim Pickersgill and Kay. Special mention to young prop Tom Webley who gleaned many scrum penalties and Dagger whose elusive running and crunching tackles caught the eye.

Sixth-placed Pontefract face another tough game this Saturday when they travel to play Pocklington who are one place above them.