IT’S ‘take two’ for Pontypool tonight as they look to secure their place in the Premiership.

Pooler fluffed their lines at bottom club Ebbw Vale on Saturday when they suffered a 22-12 defeat that gave the Steelmen hope of beating the drop.

It is still very much in Pontypool’s hands – two more points will be enough – but they have a pair of daunting games to finish the season.

They welcome third-placed Newport to the Park tonight and then head to Aberavon, where few leave with anything to show for their efforts, at the weekend.

But if they need inspiration for this evening then they need only look back to 2009 when a midweek March victory over the Black and Ambers set their great escape in motion.

A last-minute Sam Mills penalty edged it 12-9 and forwards coach Leighton Jones is hoping that fills the players with belief.

“There is no doubt it will be very tough because Newport are a top quality side but we showed last year that we can beat them,” he said.

“The game last season was the turning point and hopefully this time it can be the finishing point.

“There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves after the Ebbw Vale defeat. It was disappointing that we didn’t wrap up our safety but it is all to play for this evening.

“Our fate is still in our own hands and we have the chance to get over the line.”

All six of Pooler’s wins this season have come on their own patch but Jones knows that they need a dramatic improvement on the display against the Steelmen if they are to notch their seventh.

“Newport are a great side and like all of the teams at the top of the table they are able to win in different ways,” said the ex-Black and Ambers hooker, who is currently out of action with a neck injury.

“They can mix it up front but also like to throw the ball around. They have strength in depth and plenty of danger men, so we will need to be at our best, but the boys are up for the challenge.

“Ebbw Vale looked more hungry than us on Saturday because it was their last chance. They would have been down if they had lost.

“We have to turn that around and be the ones that have the hunger and the ones that battle for every ball.”