Prem Review - 25th March

The game got off to a slow start in truly atrocious conditions, but with Ponty holding the early territorial advantage. A high tackle on flanker Lee Evans allowed home outside half Dai Flanagan to slot over a penalty, Evans then forced to depart and replaced by Wayne O’Connor. Keys responded with a snap kick and chase offensive in the mud, the ball fed to winger Mark McKee who cruised through a midfield gap for a try which was converted by full back Darren Miles.

Cross Keys were kicking effectively for position, the most prudent tactic on a mud-bath pitch, but saw their centre Dan Dark sin binned for infringing. A neat break by full back Stoddart gave Ponty some forward momentum, but the home team largely floundering in the mud. The Keys struck back with a penalty successfully converted by Miles, and continued to kick down to the corners to good effect. Driving on through the quagmire, the visitors sent prop Dan Evans over for a close range try, once more converted by Miles.

With the referee’s decision going against them, Ponty seemed to be sinking in the mud, showing just brief signs of attacking prowess, their efforts spearheaded by the drives of Strong and McIntosh. The home pack were at least creating a source of possession, generating a driving scrum to take ball against the head. A half break by centre Tom Riley gave Ponty some further impetus, setting up a position for Dai Flanagan to kick a penalty, for an interval scoreline of 6 pts to 17.

Ponty were caught trying to run out of their own twenty-two as the second half commenced, conceding a penalty which Darren Miles converted for the Keys. The home side now had a mountain to climb, and were struggling to make headway up its slippery slopes. At last putting some meaningful phases of play together, Ponty worked the ball along the line for full back Stoddart to cross for a try, the conversion drilled over by Dai Flanagan.

To their credit, Ponty were now showing greater resolve, their forwards driving on and the ball then passed fluently out for number 8 Nathan Strong to cross in the corner. With Chris Clayton coming on for Morgan Stoddart and Chris Martenko for Chris Dicomidis, Ponty’s apparent resurgence was again hindered by the referee’s whistle going against them. Further substitutions saw Stuart Williams coming on for Gerald Cox and Scott Roberts for Ryan Harford, fresh legs introduced into the energy sapping conditions of the game. Home skipper Dale McIntosh was sin binned for impeding, but the Keys’ full back Darren Miles hitting the post with a penalty attempt right in front of the target.

Going into the final ten minutes of play, Ponty’s attempts to salvage a result seemed to be bogged down in the mud, too often taking the wrong options to advance through the mire. A dart from Gareth Jones, with winger Chris Clayton foraging in support, at last gave Ponty some headway out of their own twenty-two. The home team now advanced strongly right up to their opponents’ line, applying intense pressure through a series of five metre scrums and close drives. The ball was finally moved out for winger Matthew Nuthall to gleefully slide over for a crucial try wide out.

With Tom Dickens coming on as a late replacement for Gareth Jones, Ponty grafted their way into injury time, aggressively defending their narrow lead to emerge, muddied but unbowed, as victors by 23 pts to 20.

15.Morgan Stoddart (Chris Clayton) 14.Daniel Hitchings 13.Tom Riley 12.Paul Matthews 11.Matthew Nuthall 10.Dai Flanagan 9.Gareth Jones (Tom Dickens)

1.Gerald Cox (Stuart Williams) 2.Leighton Davies 3.Ryan Harford (Scott Roberts) 4.Dale McIntosh – cpt 5.Chris Dicomidis (Chris Martenko) 6.Lee Evans (Wayne O’Connor) 7.Adam Powell 8.Nathan Strong

The Western Mail

IN WHAT resembled more mud wrestling than rugby, Bridgend grappled successfully with Llanelli to win their fourth straight Principality bout.

But though the Ravens are arguably the form side in the Premiership currently, they are finding it tough to keep leaders Neath in their sights.

They are in second, but still six points adrift of Neath, who have two games in hand.

"We will just keep soldiering on. It's all we can do," said Bridgend coach Chris Stephens.

"There is plenty of spirit and yahoo about us at the moment.

"I'm very pleased at the way we are going about our business. The pack are setting a platform."

But, though Bridgend opened up a 13-3 lead at half-time, Llanelli did not allow them to have it all their own way, getting to within three points during the second half.

"We just didn't kill the game off," reflected Stephens.

"They got back into it and that got their tails up a bit. They got amongst us in the second half, but our defence was pretty good all game.

"We did have a lapse for the try, but, apart from that, we are pleased."

Bridgend played the awful conditions - teeming rain and saturated pitch - much the better during the first half.

Most of the time they took it through the forwards with outside-half Gareth David playing the territorial game.

And, with a majority of the early possession, Bridgend were able to open up a 6-0 lead during the first 13 minutes.

The home pack, who had an edge at the scrum, didn't seem to miss skipper Mike Powell, out for three months after punching Newport's Matthew Veater.

And with platform and momentum, the home side added to their lead with a well-worked, 23rd-minute try.

Good line-out ball from hard-working captain Andrew Williams was taken on effectively by centre Chris Tossell, before flanker Gareth Williams broke through some flimsy midfield tackling to score from 20 metres out.

It wasn't completely one-way traffic and Llanelli did get on the scoreboard before the interval with a Ceiron Thomas penalty.

Llanelli's bid was not helped that they lost both locks - Hottie Louw at half-time with a stomach problem and Tristan Bowen, who was stretchered off five minutes into the second half with a suspected dislocated ankle.

But the double change in the pack did not stop Llanelli from creeping their way back in.

Llanelli started to make some significant territorial gains and were helped that Bridgend centre Roger Davies was sin-binned for a professional foul.

And, while he was seeing out his 10 minutes, Llanelli scored a try through No. 8 Dan Godfrey from a five-metre scrum.

But Bridgend did not panic and responded with a third David penalty which gave them a crucial six-point cushion going into a last 20 minutes, which the weather made a real lottery.