Prem Review - 5th March

A Pontypridd team depleted by late injury withdrawals were forced on to the back foot from the off, with the Neath pack taking charge in a low key start to the game. Home pressure was duly turned into points as Neath outside half James Hook stroked over a penalty with just five minutes gone. It was virtually all Neath as Ponty sat back defending desperately, a spate of missed touch kicks and knock - ons by the visitors further hampering their cause. A huge drive from a five metre scrum by the Neath pack took them over the line, for no 8 Hywel Jenkins to claim a pushover try.

With Craig Hughes coming on for the injured Chris Martenko, it was a full twelve minutes before Ponty cautiously strayed into the home half, but to little effect. Yielding possession and territory, Ponty were soon back peddling at a rate of knots towards their own line, with Neath again going close to scoring. The first quarter had been a torrid one for Pontypridd, showing courage and tenacity in defence but offering virtually nothing in attack. A raking touch finder from Tom Riley at last took Ponty into the home twenty-two, the ball moved wide along the backs but full back Morgan Stoddart losing the ball as he crossed the line. The first meaningful phase of pressure from Ponty at least registered points on the board as outside half Dai Flanagan put over a penalty from the twenty-two metre line.

Ponty were now more competitive, but mostly in their defensive duties, bravely facing up to the home team’s battering ram tactics. With Neath camped close to the visitors’ line, Ponty scrum half Carl Thomas was sent off for stamping, the ensuing penalty converted by James Hook. A vain attempt by Ponty to break upfield ended in disaster as opposing winger Aled Brew intercepted and raced in for a try, the score converted by Hook and putting Neath into an interval lead of 18 pts to 3.

An attack instigated by full back Gareth Morris sent Neath surging upfield, with Ponty once more scrambling back in defence. Recycling the ball through a number of close range phases, Neath were rewarded as Hywel Jenkins barged over for a try, again converted by Hook. Ponty at last put some driving play together, with centre Dafydd Lockyear breaking the gain line, the visitors spurning some kickable penalty opportunities. A turnover of possession however gave Neath the chance to cut free, James Hook racing clear for a try which he also converted, with fifty-three minutes gone.

Ponty gamely tried to claw their way back into contention, with Stuart Williams coming on for Geraint Liddon, but losing possession in the ruck area, and unable to generate any momentum. Ioan Jones was now on in place of Ryan Harford, as Neath set off on a breakaway attack at pace led by winger Brew and centre Bevan, the Ponty defenders scurrying back to their own line. Ponty were now looking battered and bruised, a further substitution seeing Chris Dicomidis on for Rhys Shellard, joining in a desperate rearguard action. Neath continued to pressurise, the ball moved wide for lock Chris Gittins to cross for another try with sixty-five minutes gone.

As Lloyd Warner and Richard Langmead came off the bench for Tom Riley and Dai Flanagan, Ponty to their credit gave their all in attempting to create attacking opportunities, with Berry and Lockyear sniping over the gain line, but rarely threatening to score. Inevitably it was Neath who struck back on a counter offensive at pace, rounded off with a try in the corner for winger Richard Johnston. Neath were ending the game in dominant mode, Johnston again crossing for a touchdown, but disallowed for a forward pass. With Gareth Jones making the briefest of appearances in place of Darren Berry,the game ended as it had begun for the beleaguered Ponty defenders, outgunned and consigned to a demoralising defeat by 42 pts to 3.

Pontypridd:

15.Morgan Stoddart. 14.Darren Berry (Gareth Jones). 13.Tom Riley (Lloyd Warner). 12.Dafydd Lockyear. 11.Richard Fussell. 10.Dai Flanagan (Richard Langmead). 9.Carl Thomas.

1.Geraint Liddon (Stuart Williams). 2.Ben Phillips. 3.Ryan Harford (Ioan Jones). 4.Chris Martenko (Craig Hughes). 5.Grant Harrington. 6.Wayne O’Connor. 7.Rhys Shellard (Chris Dicomidis). 8.Lee Evans.

Neath		(18)42-3(3)		Pontypridd	FT
Tries: Hook Brew Gittins Jenkins 2 Johnston
Cons: Hook 3
Pens: Hook 2				Pens: Flanagan

The Western Mail

BRIDGEND'S remarkable 14-game winning streak in cup and Premier Division came to an end at the lovely Taffs Well ground when Cardiff snatched victory with a try in the fifth minute of injury-time.

It was a cruel blow for the Ravens, who had never been behind throughout a game dictated by a gale force wind which blew down the valley, but Cardiff played so well into it in the first half that Bridgend's half time lead of 15-7 was at least 10 points short of what it should have been.

Bridgend missed four good chances of tries in the half, particularly when Cardiff were down to 14 men for 20 minutes because Jonathan Edwards and Dan McShane were yellow-carded.

McShane might have got a red card for punching Huw Alford, who was trapped in a maul, but escaped the ultimate punishment and Edwards went on to become Cardiff's hero.

Cardiff didn't look like scoring with the wind until Dean Fitzgerald got a yellow card for a technical offence and the Blue and Blacks moved the ball wide for Matthew Nuthall to race in from 30 metres and just reach the line.

But Bridgend looked comfortable defending their 18-15 lead until a drop-out went straight into touch which put them under unnecessary pressure.

From a close-range scrum they won the ball, but spilled it and it was hacked over the line for Edwards to get the touchdown despite Bridgend claims that the ball had run dead.

Ironically, the equivalent game last season had finished in the same way at the same venue with Cardiff getting the winning try in injury-time.

Cardiff		(7)22-18(15)		Bridgend	FT
Tries: Edwards Jones Nuthall				Tries: Fitzgerald Carter
Cons: Anderson 2				Cons: David
Pens: Anderson				Pens: David 2

Welsh Premiership March 07, 2005
		P	W	D	L	PTS
1	Neath	22	19	0	3	57
2	Newport	24	18	0	6	51
3	Llanelli	25	17	0	8	51
4	Bridgend	25	17	0	8	48
5	Cross Keys	24	15	0	9	45
6	Swansea	24	13	2	9	41
7	Carmarthen	22	13	1	8	40
8	Pontypridd	25	12	1	12	37
9	Aberavon	21	12	0	9	36
10	Cardiff	22	11	0	11	33
11	Ebbw Vale	24	11	0	13	30
12	Pontypool	25	9	1	15	28
13	Bedwas	23	9	0	14	27
14	Llandovery	23	8	0	15	24
15	Caerphilly	25	6	0	19	18
16	Llanharan	24	3	1	20	10
17	Newbridge	22	4	0	18	9