The Blue and Blacks were edged out 22-19 by last season’s Principality Premiership champions in the British & Irish Cup play-off match – a result that ends their interest in the competition.
It could all have been very different. Cardiff had led 13-0 at one stage through a try from Polu Uhi and the boot of Ceiron Thomas. But yellow cards for Sam Feehan and Miles Normandale saw Pontypridd come back into things.
A see-saw second half could have thrown up any outcome but in the end, tries from Wayne O’Connor and Chris Dicomidis, added to Adam Thomas’ score, meant Pontypridd emerged as winners.
It means they move into the British & Irish Cup pool stages for the coming season.
“I think we showed what we’re capable of doing. Obviously we’re bitterly disappointed with the result but you’ve got to give Pontypridd credit for the way they played in areas of that game,” said Edwards, who signed from the Scarlets this summer.
“In the first 35 minutes I thought we controlled the game. We hit the post to go 16-3 up and then we missed a kick-off and all of a sudden we were playing back foot rugby. It was costly in the end.
“As a group of players we came here thinking we could win and we definitely could have. It’s a learning progress now and hopefully we can take things out of this game going forward into the season.”
For Pontypridd, their head coach Dale McIntosh was relieved to have made it through what was a fiercely competitive, as well as enthralling, 80 minutes.
“To be honest we are just happy to have survived what was, as we expected, a test of our character and resolve,” said McIntosh.
“We got the result we wanted and there’s not much more to say.
“All credit to Cardiff, we can only play as the opposition allow us to. They were strong in the scrum and put us under pressure in the set pieces.
“I feel frustration at the way the game went, tinged with disappointment that we could not put on a better spectacle. But the over-riding sentiment is just one of huge relief to have made the cut for the British & Irish Cup for another season.”
