Reigning Principality Premiership champions Pontypridd had to rely on an injury time penalty from former Wales outside half to take their game against Cardiff into extra-time at Sardis Road before they emerged victorious, 24-18.
It was far more clear cut at Bedwas, where the home side notched a third win in four matches against SSE Swalec Cup semi-finalists Carmarthen Quins, 48-20. Man of the Match Richard Powell ended with 16 points as he scored one of his side’s five tries, kicked four penalties and added a conversion.
Bedwas were never really in trouble after racing into a 20 point lead with tries from Andrew Waite and Andrew Evans. The Quins bagged a penalty try on the stroke of half-time to make it 20-8 at the break.
There were three more home tries in the second half, from Tom Rowlands, Powell and Luke Crane, and the collective boots of Powell and James Dixon did the rest of the damage as they kept the scoreboard ticking over with three conversions and six penalties. The visitors picked up consolation tries in the second half through No 8 Josh Middleton and Gavin Thomas.
It was much, much tighter at the House of Pain, where Cardiff looked on course for their first win in four outings this season against arch-rivals Pontypridd when they led by 10 points in the second half. A break by Dafydd Lockyer paved the way for a Dale Stuckey try, converted by Lewis K Williams, gave Ponty an 8-2 interval lead, but then the Blue & Blacks struck twice.
Wales Sevens cap Richard Smith raced away for a try that levelled the scores and then David Bird converted a second score from lock Sean Driscoll before adding a penalty to make it 18-8 in favour of the visitors.
Man of the Match Jake Thomas then brought Ponty within touching distance with a try that Williams improved to cut the gap to two points. Cardiff lost Jevon Groves to the sin-bin and then Sweeney tied the scores with his last gasp penalty.
That sent the game into injury time during which Chris Clayton’s third home try proved crucial. Ponty lost replacement back row man Rhys Shellard to a yellow card in the 95th minute and were forced to ride out a frantic final five minutes a man short.
