The visitors got off to a good start and were ahead after only a minutes’ play via the boot of outside half Jarrod Evans. Bedwas were unable to get a foothold in the game as the visitors dominated possession and it was no surprise when left wing Dale Stuckey crossed for an unconverted try. As hard as Bedwas tried everything they attempted was repelled by a strong visitors defence.
A second Evans penalty after half an hour extended his sides’ advantage and from the restart full back Aled Summerhill crossed for an unconverted try to increase his side’s advantage.
Bedwas began the second half in determined fashion. Three Richard Powell penalties reduced the deficit and Bedwas began to dominate proceedings. However Ponty were not to be denied for long and were rewarded with a try, No 8 Jake Thomas being driven over out wide. Evans added the conversion.
Bedwas hopes of a comeback increased when the aforementioned Thomas was sin binned giving hopes to use the extra man advantage. It was not to be as two tries in four minutes by the Ponty centre partnership of Gavin Dacey and Chris Clayton both converted by replacement Simon Humberstone effectively killed off any hope Bedwas had.
Bedwas continued to work hard and were rewarded with a try from replacement hooker Alun Rees but the joy was short-lived as replacement flanker Dafi Davies crossed, Humberstone adding the extras. Both sides tried to play some open rugby but Pontypridd were more clinical and had the final word as flanker Rhys Shellard crossed for a try converted by Humberstone.
With Ebbw Vale losing at Aberavon, Pontypridd return to top of the table having only lost one league fixture this season.
Here’s the verdict from Pontypridd…
An initial advance by Pontypridd earned a penalty award which outside half Jarrod Evans converted from a wide angle with barely a minute gone. The visitors maintained momentum through a wide attack spearheaded by winger Dale Stuckey, keeping play up in the Bedwas twenty-two. Sustained pressure was not however turned into points as Evans missed the target with another penalty attempt.
Ponty kept driving on, laying siege to their opponents’ line with a series of forward shunts, the ball then whipped out along the back line for Stuckey to cross for a try wide out. Bedwas launched an initial foray into the visitors’ half but were soon back tracking as Ponty responded with a kick and chase counter. Coming up to the end of the first quarter the game had so far been played almost exclusively in home territory.
Bedwas used their forward power to finally make a concerted advance into the Ponty half, but held out by a committed Valley Commandos defence. The contest was physical and feisty with a few personal battles being engaged off the ball giving the referee plenty to think about. The home team were kicking well for field position, but unable to make a breakthrough with the game at this stage pretty much at a stalemate.
Ponty picked up the tempo of their play with a wide attack that saw winger Stuckey again going close, before Jarrod Evans struck over a simple penalty in front of the posts with thirty-two minutes gone. Straight from the restart Ponty were again on the offensive, showing good continuity for full back Aled Summerhill to cross for a try wide out that went unconverted. A confident looking Pontypridd were now on top of the game, doing enough in attack and defence to maintain their superiority and an interval lead of 0-16.
Bedwas made the better start to the second period, edging towards their opponents’ twenty-two for outside half Richard Powell to launch a simple penalty between the posts. The home pack were going strongly in the set pieces, earning penalty awards for Powell to put over another kick from long range. The game had been turned on its head, Bedwas in the ascendancy with Ponty barely able to lay a hand on the ball and conceding further points to another Powell penalty kicked with fifty-one minutes gone.
Ponty were finally stung into action, showing more urgency in their play to make headway towards the home twenty-two. A driving maul took the Ponty pack over the line for a try claimed by no8 Jake Thomas and expertly converted from a wide angle by Jarrod Evans. Try scorer Thomas quickly turned from hero to villain as he was dispatched to the sin bin, his team soaking up a period of Bedwas pressure going into the final quarter of the game.
Ponty struck back in comprehensive fashion, centre Dafydd Lockyer motoring through the home defence and off-loading for midfield partner Gavin Dacey to cross for a bonus point try, converted by replacement Simon Humberstone. The visitors again went on an all-out offensive, throwing everything at their opponents’ beleaguered defence and benefitting as Lockyer sent a probing kick through for winger Chris Clayton to pounce for a try, converted from the touchline by Humberstone.
There was no respite to the action as Bedwas struck back with a close range touchdown claimed by hooker Alun Rees, only for Ponty to take play back upfield for replacement flanker Dafi Davies to charge over for a try, expertly converted by Humberstone. It was end to end stuff in what was a frenetic climax to the game, both sides showing their hand in attack, but Ponty more decisively so as flanker Rhys Shellard burst through for yet another try, again converted by Humberstone. Going into injury time Ponty continued to ply forwards, rounding off a comprehensive victory by 14pts to 51 with seven tries to their name.
