Cup Review - 27th Jan
By Zippy
January 29 2007
A review of the action in the 5th Round of the Konica Minolta Welsh Cup. Both Ponty and Bridgend avoided a giant killing against Newbridge and Abercynon respectively.
Newbridge 0 Pontypridd 25
By www.PontypriddRFC.co.uk - Rygbi Pontypridd - Official Website / Y Wefan Swyddogol - The Valleys' Premier Team.
The game began in pleasant sunshine on a pitch that looked distinctly the worse for wear. Pontypridd put on some early pressure in the Newbridge half and were rewarded with a penalty kick after about five minutes, but Neil Burnett put it wide. However, the home side then messed up the restart, and Paul Mathews was put clear for a good try. Neil missed the conversion, but Ponty were in the lead by 0-5.
After about ten minutes the visiting supporters held their breath and crossed their fingers as Dafydd Lockyer went off with a blood-injury. Jason Pocock came on at full back and Lawrence Price moved to centre. All the good attacks were coming from Pontypridd at this time, and a good break down the left by Chris Clayton and good work by Andrew Jenkins kept Newbridge on the retreat. Another break through the middle saw the happy hooker – Leighton Davies – moving like a centre, but the attack broke down on the right due to some poor passing. However, the home defence gave away a penalty which Neil Burnett gratefully accepted to make the score 0-8 to Pontypridd.
With Dafydd back on, Pontypridd were now forced to spend a prolonged period in their own half. This was partly due to our inability to bang the ball down the park to clear our lines, but also due to a series of penalties awarded to the home side by referee Huw David. One long-range but kickable effort sailed happily under the Pontypridd posts, and so we moved towards half time with Ponty in the lead and never really challenged by the Newbridge back line.
Andrew Jenkins continued to disrupt Newbridge ball around the base of the scrum, and his efforts early in the second half eventually led to a penalty which Neil Burnett just pulled to the right. Pontypridd were dominant in most phases of the game at this stage, however, and a series of forward drives took us closer and closer to the line. The forwards almost overdid it with their reluctance to release the ball to our superior backs, but when the ball did come out of the maul Kristian Baller waltzed over on the right. Neil again missed the conversion, but at 0-13 the Ponty supporters were beginning to relax.
Pontypridd were now winning a lot of good ball from set pieces and in the loose, and a marvellous attack down the right was just stopped short of the line. The last ball carrier was Leighton Davies again, who was having a tremendous game. However, Ponty were not to be denied for long. Lawrence Price instigated an attack from our own half down the right, and with his trademark silky running, glided through the first line of defence. The ball was moved along the line from hand to hand for Dafydd Lockyer to cross for the try. Although Neil again narrowly missed the conversion, it was 0-18 going into the last quarter.
Stuart Williams came on for Ian Poley at this stage, as Ponty were now forced to defend for a long period, mainly due to another string of penalties awaded to Newbridge by the referee. Time and again the Pontypridd defence cleared our lines, only for the referee to lift his arm once again in Newbridge’s favour. Given the 0-18 deficit, however, Newbridge were forced to keep going for the touchline, and the Ponty defence was good.
Just in case your correspondent is accused of referee-bashing (Heaven forfend!), it is accepted that some offences must have been committed by Pontypridd as they sought to defend their line. However, it is sometimes difficult for watchers from the stands to understand why similar numbers of penalties were not awarded when Ponty were doing the attacking, as they did for much of the game. It is also difficult to see why experienced players on one side should transgress so often, while the players on the other side seem to be able to keep within the bounds of the laws most of the time? Still, it’s a difficult business, this refereeing lark!
Pontypridd’s momentum was also disrupted at this time by a series of substitutions, as Rhys James, Lee Pearce, Grant Harrington, Jason Pocock, Ryan Harries and Justin Jones came on for Ryan Harford, Leighton Davies, Dale McIntosh, Lawrence Price, Andrew Jenkins and Tom Games respectively. However, Ponty were eventually able to build up some concerted pressure on the home line, and Lee Evan went over for our fourth try, converted by Neil Burnett to make the final score 0-25 to Pontypridd.
The game was not a classic by any means, and Pontypridd were rarely forced to get out of third gear. It was a typical cup tie, however, with the ‘underdogs’ battling well throughout, and the Premiership side anxious not to slip up in a difficult away game. Although the Newbridge back division lacked penetration, they never stopped tackling. The home pack was a good outfit, and frequently caused a few problems in the scrums. The general feeling amongst supporters afterwards was “job done” – and some slight relief to have gotten away with it so easily in the end.
The Pontypridd backs were always in charge of the game, and all performed well, with Andrew Jenkins doing a grand job at No. 9. In the forwards, Damien Welch ruled the lineouts, Lee Evans was a force in the loose, Tu Tamarua was immense as ever, and Leighton Davies had a tremendous game. It was easy to see why Newbridge are doing so well in the First Division East of the Asda Leagues. They are a very competent side, and it will be great to be able to play them again in the Principality Premiership next season.
Bridgend 53 Abercynon 19
Abercynon produced a brave effort in the WRU Konica Minolta Cup 5th round against Bridgend at the Brewery Field. But they found that the Premiership team, not unexpectedly, had too much pace and a greater physicality that they could not quite match. Still, Geraint Turner’s men competed wholeheartedly and with purpose but conceding 29 unanswered first half points gave them too great a hurdle to overcome.
There was not a lot between the two sides in the opening 12 minutes but then Bridgend orchestrated a move that ended with centre Darren Simpson scoring a corner try. Gareth David could not convert but the outside half put over a 16th minute penalty to make it 8-0.
Cynon were always looking to attack and full back Lee Williams scorched some 50 metres through the midfield before he was halted. The support was there quickly but they somehow lost the ball and it was an incisive breakout that enabled Simpson to score a second try. David converted and did so twice more after his side scored two further first half tries, both by wing Will Kershaw-Naylor.
In the second half Turner’s men managed to score 19 points as opposed to Bridgend’s 24 which indicated their commitment to attack. However, their points-deficit reached 37 when referee Matthew Aplin awarded Bridgend a penalty try and David converted. Cynon though were buoyed by a 58th minute try from wing Chris Keepings and a conversion from Lee Williams.
It became end to end stuff and Bridgend hooker Andrew Joy went over for an unconverted try to make it 41-7 before centre Gareth Davies intercepted a pass and hare in to score a try that youth player Williams converted. After Kershaw-Naylor swooped for his third try which David converted, Davies once more showed the home defence a clean pair of heels to score a second try with 8 minutes remaining.
Right at the end Bridgend notched up an 8th try through replacement scrum half Brendan Roach. After the conversion attempt failed the whistle signalled the end of Cynon’s Cup quest for another season and a return to league action this Saturday with the visit of second placed Bargoed to Y Parc. Kick off 2-30.
Round Five: 27 January
Beddau 8-21 Neath
Bonymaen 7-55 Newport
Bridgend 53-19 Abercynon
Caerphilly 18-15 Carmarthen Quins
Cardiff 69-14 Narberth
Cwmllynfell 14-39 Aberavon
Glamorgan Wanderers 32-13 Tonmawr
Llandovery 50-10 Nantyffyllon
Llangennech 17-28 Ebbw Vale
Maesteg 47-15 Bridgend Athletic
Newbridge 0-25 Pontypridd
Pontypool 11-16 Bedwas
Seven Sisters 7-85 Llanelli
St Peter's 16-3 Llanishen
Swansea 23-9 Loughor
Whitland 20-26 Cross Keys