In the end, two late penalties settled this rearranged clash. Outside half Kieran Meek had an opportunity to win it for Pooler with the last kick of the match, but his penalty drifted wide.
Moments earlier, his opposite number Josh Phillips did successfully split the posts to put the Whites ahead for the first time, with just a minute left on the clock, after they had trailed all afternoon.
A first half try from flanker Scott Matthews along with a penalty and a drop goal from Meek had Pooler 11-0 ahead at the break.
Swansea hit back through full-back Iwan Glynn on 55 minutes but, when No 8 Morgan Allen powered over eight minutes later and Meek converted to put Pooler 18-5 ahead, they looked to be on their way to a first away league win of the season.
But the Whites responded with two tries from wing Brandon Wood on 66 and 73 minutes respectively, the first converted by Phillips, to pull themselves back to within one point.
Phillips’ penalty nudged Swansea ahead – and it proved decisive.
Swansea defence coach Liam Gadd admitted the Whites – a week on from securing silverware against RGC in the SRC Plate – were fortunate to come out victors after delivering a below-par first half performance.
“It was a bit of a stop-start game, in the first half especially, and we couldn’t get any momentum in the game. We would either turn the ball over with an error – or Pontypool would get a turnover at the breakdown,” said Gadd.
“Once we started to move the ball and cut out the errors, we were able to get some momentum and get back into the game.
“First half there seemed to be a bit of a hangover from the RGC game but, credit to this group of players, they were able to come out and put in an improved performance in the second half and come away with the win, even if it wasn’t pretty.”
Swansea are just three points behind fourth placed Newport ahead of the final four rounds of regular fixtures in SRC. They can go fourth, temporarily at least, with victory at Carmarthen Quins on Thursday night.
For Pooler, who despite being much improved after their second half capitulation at Bridgend seven days earlier, this was their ninth league reverse in succession and leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table.
That collapse at Bridgend, where they shipped seven second half tries to crash 50-27 after leading 20-7 at the break, had come after some decent displays in the SRC Cup – where they were agonisingly denied a place in the final after a dramatic semi at Llandovery.
“The second half against Bridgend wasn’t acceptable and was disappointing on so many levels,” said head coach Tom Hancock.
“We let ourselves and our supporters down, after a promising cup run featuring a series of good performances.
“We’re pleased that we were able to go away to Swansea – who are a team in form – and be very competitive for the full 80 minutes, but we’re frustrated with our inability to see the game out from a winning position.”
Second placed Cardiff are the visitors to Pontypool Park on Saturday and Hancock is bullish about the remainder of the season.
“Our aims for the last four games of the regular season are very simple. We aim to scrap for as many wins and league points as we can, whilst developing our game and our squad depth in preparation for the play-offs.” he added.
“Nobody will be backing us as favourites, but equally I’m not sure the other teams would fancy us in good form in a post-season play-off with our tails up. We’re staying tight as a group, and we know that consistency and a bit of belief is coming our way.~
“The supporters can expect to see us work hard for each other and be competitive for the remainder of the season; we feel we have lots still to prove and to play for.”
Pontypool: Tries: S Matthews, M Allen; Con: K Meek; Pen: K Meek; DG: K Meek