Prem Review - 17th Dec

By Zippy
December 19 2005

Match reports for the games between Ponty vs Maesteg and Bridgend vs Cardiff in the Welsh Premiership, both Ponty and Bridgend emerged with big victories for details read on.

Pontypridd 29 Maesteg 0

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

The game began as a full blooded scrap for possession, mainly confined to physical forward exchanges, and with Maesteg getting the better of things in terms of territorial advantage. The home team were under some pressure in the scrums, and relieved to clear their line through the boot of Dai Flanagan. A galloping charge from lock Chris Martenko at last gave Ponty some impetus upfield, taking play up into the visitors’ half.  A clever chip from the base of a scrum by no 8 Nathan Strong invited winger Chris Clayton to gather and cross for a well taken try, the score converted from the touchline by Flanagan.

The home team were now gaining the upper hand, backs and forwards combining effectively in attack, with pressure once more turned into points as Dai Flanagan slotted over a penalty from in front of the posts, with eighteen minutes gone. Ponty were by now looking far more threatening, with Tom Riley and Morgan Stoddart effective line breakers, and with Maesteg resorting to infringing tactics to stem the home team’s attacks. A neat midfield break from Paul Matthews kept up Ponty’s momentum, but their play lacking composure, and unable to fashion a score.

The visitors now struck back with a concerted period of pressure, throwing their forward bulk at the Ponty defence, but to no avail. The contest continued, fast and furious, with Ponty attempting to cut loose in attack, bringing their midfield runners into play, but foiled by their own handling errors, and going into the interval still with a lead of 10 pts to 0.

Ponty resumed the second half showing plenty of endeavour, but lacking the application to make their dominance count. A speculative chip ahead from Dai Flanagan instigated a foot rush towards the Maesteg line, the scramble won by home scrum half Wayne Evans to claim a try, superbly converted from the touchline by Flanagan. Maesteg again utilised their policy of short forward drives to make yardage upfield, but stopped short by a fully committed home defence. Following good work by Nathan Strong, poaching loose possession, Ponty set off on a flowing offensive into their opponents’ twenty-two. A series of attacking five metre scrums kept up the home team’s momentum, going close to scoring, and keeping up a policy of all out attack, but without reward.

The game was held up as a bout of all out fighting took place between two opposing props, with Ponty’s Stuart Williams singled out for a red card. Ian Poley now came on for Lee Evans as front row cover, with Ponty galvanised into action, aggressive in their defence, in a contest which now had a definite edge to it. Both outside halves, Smithson for Maesteg and Flanagan for Ponty, were off target with respective penalty attempts, as Ponty brought on Ben Phillips in place of Leighton Davies. Ponty launched into a spirited repost, moving the ball well along the back line, where lock Chris Dicomidis set off on a dynamic run to claim a try, followed by another wide angle conversion from Flanagan.

A spate of substitutions saw Dale McIntosh coming on for Dicomidis, Jason Pocock for Morgan Stoddart and Dafydd Lockyer for Dai Flanagan, with sixty-five minutes gone. A break from deep by Pocock kept Ponty on the front foot, showing great enthusiasm to defy their numerical disadvantage. For all their efforts, Ponty were now continually penalised in the set pieces and around the fringes, back tracking deep into their own half. A long period was spent with Maesteg throwing everything they had at the Ponty line, but the home defence heroically holding out. With Gareth Jones coming on for Wayne Evans, and Leighton Davies back on for Ryan Harford, with the scrums becoming uncontested, Ponty put in a huge defensive effort to keep their line intact. Into injury time, Ponty launched a length of the field kick and rush counter attack, a dramatic touchdown claimed by centre Dafydd Lockyer. A passionate display by a fully committed Pontypridd team gave them a just reward of victory by 29 pts to 0.

Pontypridd	29 - 0 (10 - 0)	Maesteg
Tries: C Clayton, W Evans, C Dikomedis, D Lockyear
Pens: D Flanagan
Cons: D Flanagan 3

Bridgend 43 Cardiff 20

BRIDGEND leapt into second spot in the Premiership table with a six-try show against struggling Cardiff at the Brewery Field.

Veteran No 8 Andrew Williams gave his young opponents a lesson in streetwise forward play.

He received sound support from locks Huw Alford and skipper Mike Powell with flanker Adam Whitney always ready to pounce.

Williams, Whitney and Gareth Alexander scored first half tries for the Ravens but Cardiff were still in the hunt after an hour when they narrowly trailed 20-22.

Jamie Roberts had opened their account with an excellent try and with Nick Macleod probing at fly-half Cardiff's backs, often looked dangerous.

Dafydd Hewitt scored the visitors' second try after a brilliant break but Bridgend took control with two converted tries inside four minutes. Cardiff conceded their fourth penalty try in three games after Williams was shoulder-charged off the ball as it ran loose over the line and then Roger Davies raced 70 metres for another seven-pointer.

Whitney's second try completed Cardiff's misery.

Bridgend	43 - 20 (22 - 13)	Cardiff
Tries: A Whitney 2, G Alexander 2, A Williams, R Davies		Tries: J Roberts, D Hewitt
Pens: G David		Pens: N McLeod 2
Cons: G David 5		Cons: N McLeod 2

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
1	Neath	13	12	0	1	463	167	36
2	Bridgend	14	11	0	3	343	272	33
3	Pontypridd	13	10	0	3	359	226	30
4	Aberavon	13	10	0	3	358	212	30
5	Newport	14	10	0	4	301	291	30
6	Cross Keys	14	9	0	5	286	213	27
7	Llanelli	14	9	0	5	249	278	27
8	Bedwas	14	7	1	6	279	266	22
9	Pontypool	15	5	1	9	231	291	16
10	Maesteg	14	5	0	9	279	363	15
11	Glamorgan Wanderers	13	5	0	8	267	331	15
12	Swansea	13	4	0	9	315	347	12
13	Ebbw Vale	14	3	0	11	253	339	9
14	Llandovery	14	3	0	11	261	330	9
15	Cardiff	14	3	0	11	226	361	9
16	Carmarthen	14	3	0	11	206	389	9