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A non-stop Pontypool kept battering beleaguered Beddau in atrocious conditions to earn a bonus point win that sees them stretch their lead in the Championship while nailing Beddau to the bottom.

Pooler wanted to play this game; Beddau were happy to go along and it is probably to his credit that referee Stuart Kibble felt the playing surface would not prove a danger.  There were moments of farce but, in the circumstances enough good rugby was played to satisfy the Pontypool faithful.

From the kick-off Beddau were pinned to their 22 but when Hywel Chatham was illegally held back the penalty provided relief.  A stray arm made contact with scrum half Jack Secher at the lineout and Beddau were again able to advance.  Pooler`s eagerness at this point was easy to see but so was their indiscipline and while they had repelled Beddau at the lineout bodies plunged into the succeeding ruck from several angles, not all of them permitted, and Beddau had a third penalty.  The touchline was used again and slowly Beddau`s forwards made inroads until some Pooler hands in the ruck drew yet another penalty with Hywel Chatham this time securing the points.

The restart saw the ball ricochet until outside half Matthew Lewis brought some control to proceedings and sent Joel Mahoney into a gap.  Callum Wheeler`s attempt to close the gap ended ignominiously with his feet sliding uncontrollably on the gluepot and Mahoney was through the posts for Lewis to convert.

Beddau were now finding it difficult to clear their lines and had assumed the role of villain as the home side were now having decisions awarded their way.  A lineout on the right came to nothing but a great drive from a move that had started from the left touchline took play to centre field, not that, under the configuration of the pitch, many paces were required, and though a ball shot out at some pace Matthew Lewis handled it well and fashioned a fine pass for Kieran Meek to score.  Lewis converted.

A resilient Beddau kept Pooler at bay and made some forays until winning an offside verdict that Hywel Chatham goaled.  A flurry to bring the half to a close brought an unfortunate injury to Beddau winger James Grainger who, in chasing, and gathering his own kick came down heavily damaging, it seemed, both elbow and shoulder.  Beddau had already lost left wing Cody Baker and now had replacements Iwan Dawes and Gareth Hopkins on the field.

At the start of the second half with Pooler leading 14-6 the home side were awarded a penalty as Beddau had not retreated when Hywel Chatham placed a kick into midfield.  The irony was not lost on Beddau captain Ben White but Mr Kibble`s reply was the production of a yellow card.

Soon a drive by Pooler`s forwards earned them a penalty which went to touch and the lineout possession allowed the production of some rugby that was out of any deference to the conditions and was ended with loose head Aaron Coundley racing on to a pass in midfield to score a fine try that Matthew Lewis converted.

From the restart Ben Sparks burst away from the collision and hared into space.  Tackles were made but possession was preserved and scrum half Martin Luckwell was on hand to score the try that went unconverted.  Ben White returned to the field and some of Beddau`s shape was restored.  Conditions were now bordering on the impossible and anyone able to remain perpendicular had a wonderful advantage.  A mazy run from their own half ended with a long pass finding Jordan Thomas for the winger to finish and Matthew Lewis to convert.

There was time for a bit of a spectacle.  A loose kick landed like a belly flop but Pontypool hands got there first and a manufactured offload through the legs was grabbed by the speedy Joel Mahoney to score his second try.  The conversion, by Matthew Lewis, took Pooler`s score to 40.

As the relentless rain continued to do its best to spoil proceedings it seemed that Mr Kibble had given up for Pooler`s final try, though pretty to watch, involved two one-handed passes delivered at pace.  Both were significantly forward but the official had evidently decided that a try was deserved and replacement Cameron Watson-Boycott was the man who finally grounded.

Beddau Team; 15 Callum Wheeler, 14 James Grainger (Gareth Hopkins), 13 Kieran Gay, 12 Lewis Egal, 11 Cody Baker (Iwan Dawes), 10 Hywel Chatham, 9 Jack Secher (Tom Marley), 1 Ben Stephens, 2 Correy Tarrant, 3 Ben Jones (Ben Lee), 4 Rhys Owens, 5 Ben White-y/c, 6 Tom Geere (Ryan Phillips), 7 Regan Wilson, 8 Tom Axenderrie