PONTYPOOL coach Steve Jones remains adamant his young side will compete in the Welsh Premier Division this season given a little time and patience.

Two successive narrow defeats in heated Gwent derbies against champions Newport and Cross Keys have set alarm bells ringing in some quarters.

But Jones says people must realise how much Pontypool have suffered in recent seasons (administration, loss of their clubhouse, funding problems, loss of key players) and must give his young squad a little time.

"Despite everything, we are more organised than we were at this stage last season," said Jones, "and I still believe that if the players perform to their potential and stick to the patterns of play laid down we will compete this season.

"It's disappointing we've lost our opening two games and it was particularly disappointing we lost to Cross Keys after our spirited performance at Newport.

"We've looked at the video of that game and there is no doubt that had we played and stuck to the game plan put down we would have won.

"The players realise they let themselves down after Newport and instead of playing to the patterns put down in training took too much upon themselves individually.

"Although we are better organised this season, in the heat of the battle perhaps the younger players lose a bit of composure when things don't come off.

"But that will change given a little time and patience and people must remember that this season we have ten players new to this level of rugby."

Jones would have preferred Pontypool to have played at Newbridge in midweek to try to put the Keys result behind them quickly (the Newbridge floodlights were out of action).

So now it's a tough trip to Aberavon on Saturday, though the Wizards have surprisingly lost two of their opening three games.

"They are always a hard side to beat on their home ground and I'm expecting it will be a tough battle up front," said Jones. "But if we stick to our patterns and keep our composure I'm confident we'll do well.

Pontypool: D Smith, C Jones/A Ali, A Slizney, J Slizney, L McCabe, S Mills, J Jenkins, J Reenier, L Jones, L Hunter, D Cox, O Reynolds, M Coombes, C Trayhern (c), D Gibbs.

Substitutes to be named, squad meeting at the sports centre at 11.30am.