It was pay-back time for the 41-25 defeat Ponty suffered at the hands of the Steelmen on their own ground in the first half of the season – and for the defeat they had to take at Sardis Road in last season’s Premiership final.
Nigel Davies’ side at least managed to salvage a losing bonus-point after a thrilling battle in the mud at Eugene Cross Park, but they find themselves three points adrift of the leaders who, like third placed Merthyr, have a game in hand.
The Steelmen began brightly and forced the visitors into giving away early penalties. And that pressure was rewarded when Josh Lewis kicked a penalty and followed that up with a converted try after the hosts pounced on a loose ball.
Ponty were up against it and it soon got worse when Ceri Sweeney was sent to the bin for a late hit on opposite man Lewis who departed from the consequent injury. But the Valley Commandos held firm and struck back when Sweeney came back on with the former Wales outside-half crossing and converting his own try.
Ponty began to put the foot down and forced Dragons No.8 Harri Keddie to concede a yellow card at the breakdown with Sweeney kicking the resulting penalty to tie the game. Captain Dafydd Lockyer capitalised on the extra man, sniping through a gap from halfway to cross at the posts.
Home full back Dan Haymond added a penalty, before Sweeney eased Ponty over the line in appalling conditions with three points of his own.
Bedwas returned to winning ways with a strong-second half performance at Parc Eirias as RGC fell to a third-straight defeat in Tier One. Having gone down 40-20 to Merthyr in their last outing, Bedwas knew they needed to win to stay in touch at the top.
The game came alive after a quiet first-half which saw a solitary Jacob Botica penalty give the hosts a 3-0 lead at the break. It was the visitors who got the first points on the board after the interval, when centre Patric Lewis crossed for the opening try of the match.
Their lead did not last long, though, as RGC hit back five minutes later when full back Afon Bagshaw split the Bedwas defence before racing away from the chasing pack to score. Botica added the conversion to make it 10-5 to the hosts.
Two Richard Powell penalties put the visitors back in front before they extended their lead to eight points with a try from Joe Davies following good work from the Bedwas backs.
Their comfort blanket of eight points only lasted a few minutes as RGC hit back with a second try. Wing Sam Jones finished the move he started with a touchdown that closed the gap to just three with 10 minutes left.
But another penalty from Powell steadied the nerves for Bedwas and secured the win that moved them into second place with two home games to come in their final three outings – including a clash with leaders Pontypridd on 29 April.
Merthyr ran riot as they ran in 11 tries at The Wern against Llandovery. Tom Daley crossed for a hat-trick and Matthew Jarvis converted 10 of the tries.
Llandovery started the better and soon raced into a 7-0 lead when prop Robert Thomas burst over and outside half Jack Maynard added the extras. Kyle Evans then opened his account for the afternoon with Jarvis levelling with the conversion as Merthyr took a hold of the game.
Daley crossed for his first, before captain Craig Locke got his name on the scoresheet with Daley there again to bag the bonus-point eight minutes before half-time. Rhodri Jones then went over for the visitors to briefly stop the rot, but that was as good as it got for the Drovers.
Evans ran in his second, but Lee Jarvis’ men had not finished there. Martin Thomas dotted down just before the break to bring the score to a whopping 42-14 at the interval after Jarvis had added all the conversions.
The Ironmen were in no mood for hanging around and carried on the second-half from where they left off. Phil Rees bagged the seventh, before wing Richard Carter crossed for a brace in between Gavin Dacey’s score. And Daley put the cherry on top with his third and Merthyr’s eleventh at the death.
In Tier 2, Newport kept up their unbeaten record to consign Neath to a first league defeat since the split with a 25-9 triumph at The Gnoll.
Tries from Elliot Frewen, Llywarch ap Myrddin and Rhodri Jones helped the Black & Ambers to complete the double over the Welsh All Blacks, which helped steal a march on the hosts in the battle for top spot.
Neath opened the scoring on nine minutes with top scorer Ed Howley taking his points tally to 220 for the season with a penalty. The former Ospreys academy youngster doubled their lead from the tee 10 minutes later before fly-half Geraint O’Driscoll got the visitors on the board with a penalty on 32 minutes.
Newport took the lead for the first time five minutes later when wing Frewen raced away to score, with O’Driscoll adding the extras. Howley and O’Driscoll exchanged penalties before the break to keep the scoreline tight but the second-half was all Newport.
It took just five minutes for the Black & Ambers to add to their lead, with fullback Myrddin touching down in the corner. O’Driscoll added the conversion to stretch the lead to 11 before flanker Jones forced his way over for a third and final try.
Llanelli secured their first Tier 2 win of the season as they came out on top 20-17 in the basement battle against Cardiff at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.
Both teams have endured a torrid, winless run of form since the split in January, with their woes made only worse after Pontypool inflicted defeat on both strugglers in rounds one and two of the WRU National Cup. But, in the end, it was the visitors from West Wales who denied the hosts a victory in their last home match of the season.
The home side made the brighter start with Gareth Thompson opening the scoring on 11 minutes with a penalty. And it got better when lock James Murphy crossed two minutes later, with Thompson adding the extras.
The pendulum swung back the other way in the second quarter as Llanelli fought their way back into the match. Billy McBryde slotted a penalty on 25 minutes before wing Ryan Davies touched down, although a missed conversion ensured the Blue & Blacks led by two at the break.
Llanelli took the lead for the first time on 49 minutes when Craig Thomas forced his way over and the West Walians would never relinquish that lead. They sealed the win on 73 minutes through a Jack Condy try before Thompson secured a losing bonus point for Cardiff with a try.
