Prem Review - 3rd Sep

By www.PontypriddRFC.co.uk - Rygbi Pontypridd - Official Website / Y Wefan Swyddogol - The Valleys' Premier Team.

Following a scrappy start to the game, it was Pooler who showed the first signs of inventiveness with a passing move along the back line, but the ball spilled and the attack coming to nothing. Ponty flexed their muscles up front, and coupled with the field kicking of Richard Langmead, made headway upfield. The frustrations of a dour first ten minutes’ play boiled over into a free for all fight on the ground, just about the highlight of the game so far. At last spinning the ball out wide, Ponty sent full back Stoddart away on a weaving run into the home twenty-two, but the attack destined to come to nothing in terms of points on the board.

Carelessly losing possession at the base of a ruck, Ponty allowed their opponents to break away on a snap counter offensive, rounded off with a try for outside half Sam Mills which he also converted. Struggling to get a grip on first phase possession, Ponty relied on a charge down by centre Paul Matthews to instigate an attack, their support play culminating in an opportunist try for outside half Langmead, the conversion to follow from the same player. Any attempt by the visitors to up the tempo of the game were foiled by repeated handling errors, the afternoon so far dominated by the referee’s whistle. Although making little impact on the gain line, Ponty finally worked a position for Richard Langmead to stroke over a penalty to give Ponty an interval lead of 7 pts to 10.

Losing the ball in contact, Ponty were sent back tracking as the second half got underway, the game still riddled with miss passes and knock on’s, with little flow to the run of play. Failing to take their own line out ball, Ponty had little chance of setting a platform to attack, and again were forced on the defensive within their own twenty-two. Home pressure finally told as the ball was moved out wide following a turnover, winger Lenny Woodard crossing for a try which was converted by Sam Mills.

With Stuart Williams now on for Gerald Cox, and Gareth Jones for Tom Dickens, Ponty continued to struggle, losing scrum ball against the head and conceding ground at a rate of knots. The home team took advantage of their field position, outside half Mills stroking over a penalty to extend their advantage to 17pts to 10 with fifty-seven minutes gone. A double substitution saw Darren Berry on for Lloyd Warner and Chris Dicomidis for Grant Harrington, as Ponty laboriously tried to forge a path upfield, and were rewarded with a penalty kicked by Richard Langmead. Danny Hodge was next off the bench, in place of Dale McIntosh, as Ponty still struggled to claim set piece possession, and to make any real impact on the game.

It was the boot of Morgan Stoddart which at last took Ponty up into their opponent’s territory, and although still looking clueless in attack, once more benefited from a Richard Langmead penalty kicked from close range. Gavin Dacey now came on for Andy Parkinson, with seven minutes remaining of a scrappy contest which was however poised for a tense climax. A burst from flanker Adam Powell at last gave Ponty some impetus upfield, launching a last ditch phase of attack in search of the winning score. An intelligent cross kick from Langmead bounced fortuitously for the visitors, allowing winger Chris Clayton to pounce for a try, converted by Langmead.

Going into injury time, Pooler threw everything into attack to salvage the game, testing the Ponty defence to the full, but without reward. The clock ticked over for a lengthy period of stoppage time, as Ponty forged their way into the home twenty-two, a snap chip kick by scrum half Jones popping up for winger Darren Berry to claim a try, the conversion from Richard Langmead wrapping up the result in Ponty’s favour, emerging winners by 17 pts to 30.

Pontypridd:

15.Morgan Stoddart. 14.Chris Clayton. 13.Andy Parkinson (Gavin Dacey) 12.Paul Matthews. 11.Lloyd Warner (Darren Berry) 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Tom Dickens (Gareth Jones).

1.Gerald Cox (Stuart Williams). 2.Ben Phillips. 3.Ian Poley. 4.Dale McIntosh – cpt (Danny Hodge). 5.Grant Harrington (Chris Dicomidis). 6.Lee Evans. 7.Adam Powell. 8.Nathan Strong.

BRIDGEND held their nerve to open their Principality account with a win in a match marred by a red card for each team.

And it was the Ravens who found the sendings off more costly when they lost captain and lock Mike Powell on 17 minutes after he lashed out with the foot at Luke Richards.

Swansea were not reduced to 14 men until three minutes from time when prop Tim Evans head-butted Gareth Alexander right in front of the touch judge.

When Powell went, Bridgend were already 3-0 down to a Richards penalty.

But the Ravens scored 10 unanswered points through a runaway try for Chris Tossell and two Gareth David penalties.

Swansea wing Lee Bevan crossed for two tries either side of half time as Swansea led 15-13. But the home side soon reasserted themselves with a try for No. 8 Andrew Williams.

After that it was all Bridgend, helped by Evans's rush of blood at the end.