The victory leaves them three points ahead of Aberavon with the latter still having a match at Blackwood on Saturday to play. However, if Aberavon win that match and join Pontypool on 90 points gained, the title will be decided on try-count and there, Pontypool are at present 35 ahead.
It was a match full of records with Pontypool’s 194 tries in a season and 1,437 points scored being the highest ever in a Welsh division.
Byron Hayward, the Pooler fly half, scored 15 points to take his tally to 453 in league matches for Pontypool, plus 46 in the Principality Cup and his 15 scored in league matches for Ebbw Vale this season lifts his total in club rugby to 514 – three short of the total of 517 gained by Pontypool full back Robin Williams in season 1974-75, which is accepted as the highest ever scored in a season of Welsh club rugby. The Hayward total of 468, however, is currently the best ever made in league rugby, beating the 415 obtained by Llandovery’s Stuart Harries last season in Division One. Hayward’s total can still be overtaken by Jamie Davies of Aberavon, who passed 500 points, including friendlies, for the Wizards and still has one match to play. He stands at 507 points in all matches and has scored 443 in league play – 25 behind Hayward.
Pontypool wing Len Woodard shattered the club best try aggregate since the First World War as he took his tally to 44 – 39 in the league and five in the Principality Cup. It surpassed the 39 by David Bishop in 1983-84, but still falls behind the 55 obtained by wing Tom Robbins way back in season 1913-14.
Woodard also moved to the second place of all-time try-scorers in the higher divisions of league rugby with a total of 98, but Wayne Proctor of Llanelli is still out in front with an aggregate of 115 tries – all of which were scored in the top division.
Records aside, Pontypool won the match with tries by Woodard (3), fellow wing Joel Griffin and hooker Chris Miller. Hayward converted three and also placed three penalty goals. Davies struck four penalties over for Aberavon.
Seventh spot is likely to be a vital one in the Division, if, as is expected, that number are promoted. Cross Keys reached seventh by jumping over Narberth and Whitland while defeating Carmarthen Quins by 31-14. Giles Thomas, the Quins fly half, did place two conversions to set a club record of 386 points in a season, but Keys scored four tries – three coming from early forward surges.
Bedwas rose over Newbridge in the table into fifth place with a 22-7 win over the Gwent club, but the losers have a match at Tredegar on Friday evening in which to jump back.
Tredegar recovered from being down 10-27 at the interval against Llanharan and scored 31 points, but Llanharan kept going and reached 42, jumping over both Tredegar and Blackwood in the table into tenth position.
