Prem Review - 27th Nov
By Zippy
November 29 2004
Review of the action in the Welsh Premiership this weekend. Bridgend won a scrappy game against Pooler. Ponty slipped to a bad defeat at home to Newbridge.
Bridgend 23-16 Pontypool
The Western Mail
SUPERSUB Nicky Griffiths turned this Premiership game at the Brewery Field around with a brace of tries in the final quarter after 14-man Pontypool had threatened to steal it.
Pooler had Darryl Cox dismissed after 36 minutes on the intervention of the touch judge but in a poor quality game, Bridgend's one-man advantage was barely noticed.
The game started with a bang as Gareth David and Sam Mills exchanged early penalties and the Ravens drove Pooler backwards from a close range line out for former Celtic Warrior Andrew Joy to touchdown.
That's the way it remained until Neil Giles crossed for a Pontypool try early in the second half and Mills kicked the visitors in front with a conversion and penalty.
The lead lasted 10 minutes until Griffiths darted over after Paul Smithson had turned back inside and David's conversion and a later penalty gave the Ravens an 18-13 lead and took David past 100 points for the season.
Another Mills penalty reduced the lead to two points but an up-and-under by Phil Booth re-gathered by Booth to set up a ruck in the final minute and Griffiths nipped over to settle the outcome.
| Bridgend |  |
(8)23-16(3) | |
Pontypool | FT |
| Tries: Joy Griffiths 2 |
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Tries: Giles |
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| Cons: David |
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Cons: Mills |
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| Pens: David 2 |
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Pens: Mills 3 |
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Pontypridd 11 Newbridge 18
Ponty had just the better of a scrappy opening to the game, marred by handling errors from both sides. Guilty of infringing at a maul, Ponty conceded a penalty which opposing outside half Ross Watts converted to hoist Newbridge into a three point lead. Making a habit of spilling the ball in contact, Ponty remained pegged back in their own half, lacking any creative edge to their game.
A neat break by winger Darren Berry at last gave Ponty some forward momentum, gaining a field position for Richard Langmead to stroke over a successful penalty. Bucking the trend of continuous knock - ons, Ponty strung together a fine move along the back line, no 8 Dan Godfrey up in support of his three-quarters to barge over for a try, with twenty minutes gone. Newbridge now used their forward bulk to instigate a phase of attack, rounded off with another penalty kicked by Ross Watts. The game slipped back into another phase of error strewn play, Ponty yielding any initiative they had and once more conceding three points to a penalty kicked by the visitors’ outside half Ross Watts.
A robust charge upfield by the home pack, led by flanker Lee Evans, at least gave Richard Langmead the opportunity to stroke over a penalty, edging Ponty back into the lead. Newbridge however retaliated with a foray into the home twenty-two, outside half Watts sitting back to pop over an opportunist drop goal. A blood substitution saw Stuart Williams coming on temporarily for Gerald Cox, as Newbridge continued to press forward, with Ponty defending desperately on their own line. A series of five metre scrums kept Ponty under intense pressure, the tension breaking out into sporadic punch ups amongst the forwards. Another penalty kicked by Ross Watts brought a dire first half to a close, Ponty trailing by 11 pts to 15.
Ponty at least started the second period in more positive frame of mind, shipping the ball out wide to create attacking opportunities, but still foiled by their own handling errors. The home team were showing rare glimpses of their ability to attack at pace, but failing to sustain any concerted pressure. Stuart Williams now made a re-appearance as permanent replacement for Gerald Cox, as Ponty continued to struggle to get to grips with their game plan.
A big driving scrum from Newbridge sent the home team back peddling at a rate of knots into their own twenty-two, enduring another torrid period of pressure. All attempts by Ponty to forge their way upfield were foiled by a combination of lost line out possession, handling errors or turned over ball, as Ben Phillips came on in place of Duane Goodfield. Ponty’s problems were compounded as flanker Lee Evans was sin binned for an infringement, and Newbridge outside half Watts converting the ensuing penalty. With a quarter of an hour left on the clock, Ponty tried desperately to inject some urgency into their play, but a series of miss directed passes blighting their efforts. Reverting to a tactic of tight forward shunts, Ponty laid siege to the visitors’ line, but still lacking the capacity to round off with a score. Geraint Liddon now departed, replaced by Ryan Harford, as Ponty continued to apply pressure in the Newbridge half, but failing to get to grips with their own lack of direction and their opponents’ spoiling tactics.
Gareth Jones was next off the bench, in place of Carl Thomas, joining in with a rearguard action as Ponty continued to flounder deep within their own half. With Morgan Stoddart on for Lloyd Warner, Ponty tried desperately to launch a late offensive, but still running up blind alleys and yielding the ball in contact. What can only be described as an inept performance by Pontypridd ended in a demoralising home defeat by 11 pts to 18.
Pontypridd
15.Lloyd Warner (Morgan Stoddart). 14.Darren Berry. 13.Tom Riley. 12.Dafydd Lockyear. 11.James Thomas. 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Carl Thomas (Gareth Jones).
1.Gerald Cox (Stuart Williams). 2.Duane Goodfield (Ben Phillips). 3.Geraint Liddon (Ryan Harford). 4.Chris Martenko. 5.Grant Harrington. 6.Lee Evans. 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Dan Godfrey.
| Pontypridd | |
11-18 | |
Newbridge | FT |
| Tries: Godfrey |
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| Pens: Langmead 2 |
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Pens: Watts 5 |
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Drops: Watts | |||
Prem Table
| Welsh Premiership November 29, 2004 | ||||||||
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P | W | D | L | PTS | | |
| 1 | Neath | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 42 | | |
| 2 | Llanelli | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 36 | | |
| 3 | Newport | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 33 | | |
| 4 | Swansea | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 27 | | |
| 5 | Cross Keys | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 27 | | |
| 6 | Aberavon | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 27 | | |
| 7 | Ebbw Vale | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 24 | | |
| 8 | Carmarthen | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 21 | | |
| 9 | Bridgend | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 | | |
| 10 | Pontypridd | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 16 | | |
| 11 | Cardiff | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 15 | | |
| 12 | Bedwas | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 15 | | |
| 13 | Llandovery | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 15 | | |
| 14 | Pontypool | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | | |
| 15 | Llanharan | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 9 | | |
| 16 | Newbridge | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | | |
| 17 | Caerphilly | 15 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 | | |
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