The Men in Red got off to the perfect start when wing Stef Andrews crossed for the first try inside two minutes. James Garland added the extras to give the home side a 7-0 lead.Ponty hit back with a try of their own 15 minutes later from Dale Stuckey, which was converted to draw the away side level, but it did not last long.
Just two minutes later, replacement Matthew Jenkins forced his way over to restore Aberavon’s seven-point lead. A penalty from Wales U20 outside-half Ben Jones reduced the arrears, but then Ospreys academy star Baker took charge of the game.
The first of the wing’s hat-trick came in the 34th minute to seemingly give Aberavon a big half-time lead, but an unconverted try from Stuckey shortly after left the score at 21-15 to the home side at the break. Tries were less forthcoming after the interval, but Baker’s second just after the hour mark moved Aberavon 13 points clear of their rivals.
The Valley Commandos, missing both Ceri Sweeney and skipper Dafydd Lockyer, gave themselves a sniff of a losing bonus point with a late Gary Williams try, but a missed conversion, followed by Baker running in his third in overtime, made this a day to remember for the rampant Wizards.
“It was a fantastic game of rugby, going from end to end, and I applaud Ponty for the way they matched us in their desire to throw the ball around – we needed a game like that,” said head coach Jason Hyatt.
“The game was one of real intent and though and I am particularly pleased by the way our younger players are breaking through. They are mostly local boys and there are players there who have a big future.”
Table-topping Merthyr moved to within one win of a play-off place as lock Ben Murphy crossed for two tries in a 30-21 bonus point triumph over Carmarthen Quins that keeps them two points clear with two games left to play.
The Ironmen took ample revenge for their Foster’s Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by the Quins as they ran in four tries, but the visitors forced them to come from behind after they ran in a second try on 65 minutes from centre Dylan Morgans. Outside half Craig Evans added the conversion and that made in 21-18 to the Quins with 15 minutes to go.
Evans’ boot had given the Quins the first points of the game and he kicked three penalties to keep his side in touch throughout. Scrum half Rhys Downes and Murphy crossed for Merthyr tries, wing Chris Banfield sandwiching a Quins score in between, and he home side led 15-11 at the break.
Evans and Matthew Jarvis then swapped penalties at the start of the second half before Morgans rocked the home side with his score. But Merthyr held their nerve, regained their composure and edged back in front with Murphy’s second try.
Then came the big push for the bonus-point, which was secured by back row man Ed Siggery just before the end. Jarvis added the extras and now last season’s Championship winners are on the verge of making the Premiership play-offs.
He maybe in his 45th year, but former Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs prop Chris Budgen hasn’t lost his nose for the try-line. A 72nd prop replacement for Bedwas, he ended the game as the star of the show with two late tries as the Foster’s Challenge Cup champions finished with a flourish to beat Llandovery 49-17.
Bedwas scored three tries in the final five minutes to make it seven on the day to move into second place in Tier 1.
The Drovers made life difficult for their hosts, took an early lead and only trailed by eight points on the hour, but once Bedwas had shrugged off their second yellow card of the game and returned to a full quota they ran away with the game.
Richard Powell, who ended with 14 points, kicked two early penalties for the home side before Aaron Warren marked his 100th appearance for Llandovery with a try that Jack Maynard converted. A Rory Budina score and a penalty try hoisted Bedwas into an 18-7 interval lead, but they couldn’t shrug off the Drovers.
Four minutes after the break Craig Woodall crossed and Maynard’s conversion cut the gap to four points. James Thomas responded two minutes later, but a Maynard penalty made it 25-17 as the game moved into the final quarter – then came that late burst of tries, with Budgen leading the charge.
RGC 1404 held on to beat reigning Premiership champions Ebbw Vale 37-31 in a thriller at Parc Eirias. The game went back and forth, but it was the Gogs who did enough to get over the line with a bonus-point win a week before heading to the Principality Premiership for their first WRU National Cup final.
RGC remain fifth in Tier One, two points behind the Steelemen and the play-off places, despite their triumph. They host Carmarthen Quins and then travel to Pontypridd for their final game on 6 May.
Tries from Tim Grey, Afon Bagshaw, Evan Yardley and the bonus score from Rhys Williams proved enough for RGC. The hosts began brightly, but Kiwi outside half Jacob Botica saw his first penalty attempt drift wide.
RGC were certainly the more dominant in the early exchanges but had no reward for their efforts. But soon
enough something had to give, and Grey benefitted from Carwyn ap Myrddin’s clever pass to cross.
Ebbw replied through a penalty from Newport Gwent Dragons full back Geraint Rhys Jones, but the hosts found their second try through Bagshaw. Jones and Botica exchanged more penalties as RGC led narrowly at the interval.
The Steelmen went ahead early in the second-half through William Talbot-Davies’ score and added to that advantage through a charging Dom Franchi. But the Gogs came back through two Botica penalties and Yardley’s try from a Sam Jones break.
Williams put the seal on things with Nathan Preece’s late try a consolation for the Gwent visitors.
