Prem Review - 5th April

Bridgend enjoyed most of the early pressure, but unable to make inroads into the home twenty-two. A turnover of possession and an incisive break by centre Tom Riley sent Ponty on a surge upfield, keeping up the tempo of a keenly contested game. A cut and thrust attack put Bridgend back in the ascendancy, flanker Gareth Williams breaking clear on a canter to the line to score in the corner. Ponty in turn responded with a concerted phase of pressure, the game maintaining a real physical edge with both sides going at each other full tilt.

The home team were putting together some fluid moves, but called back for a forward pass. During a frenetic passage of play, Bridgend secured a turnover to send Andrew Williams clear, the number 8 providing a scoring pass to full back Matthew Hutchings who then converted his own try. With Stuart Williams coming on for a bloodied Gerald Cox, Ponty attempted to strike back through a quick tap penalty from Ryan Harris, lock Grant Harrington breaking away to the line, but play again called back for a forward pass. The home team continued to pound into their opponents’ twenty-two, flanker Rhys Shellard going over but dispossessed before touching down. Although struggling to achieve a line out platform, Ponty continued to ply forward, but outside half Dai Flanagan off target with a penalty attempt. As Bridgend continued to infringe, they had their scrum half Nicky Griffiths sin binned, Dai Flanagan slotting over the ensuing penalty.

Some concerted efforts in attack by Ponty were blighted by knock-ons and misplaced passes, their frustrations compounded as centre Gavin Dacey broke free only to pull up with a hamstring strain, his team still trailing at the interval by 3 pts to 12.

Matthew Nuthall came out for the second half as replacement for Dacey, the game continuing fast and furious, a series of attacks and counter attacks. Ponty once more embarked on a concerted offensive, pounding the visitors’ line for a lengthy period before one final thrust sent no 8 Nathan Strong over for a try, converted by Flanagan. True to the see-saw nature of the game, Bridgend were next up on the attack, making headway past some weak home tackling. An attacking line out and drive very nearly produced a score for the Ravens, but the ball lost on the line. Ben Phillips now came on in place of Leighton Davies, with Ponty back tracking in the face of a fierce Bridgend onslaught. A massive clearance kick from Nuthall finally broke the siege, followed by a turnover which put Ponty into a promising position, only for Bridgend to strike back on the counter.

Going into the final quarter of a frenetic encounter, a double substitution saw Chris Dicomidis coming on for Dale McIntosh and Wayne O’Connor for Lee Evans, the game remaining wide open between two fully committed sides. It was Bridgend who crucially edged into the lead courtesy of a successful Matthew Hutchings penalty, before Gareth Jones came off the bench to replace Ryan Harris. With Strong and Phillips spearheading their efforts, Ponty mounted an all out attack to the visitors’ line, but yet unable to fashion a score. A stray pass and knock-on once more presented possession to Bridgend, who gratefully accepted the chance to break clear.

The home team continued to press forward, with hooker Phillips leading the line, but their efforts in vain as spilled ball and misdirected passes cost them dearly. Into injury time, Bridgend drove back upfield, full back Hutchings hoisting over a vital penalty attempt to extend their lead. One last surge by the home team culminated in a drive over the line by Nathan Strong, the try successfully converted by Flanagan with the last kick of the game, but serving only as a consolation score. At the end of a thrilling encounter, Ponty had ultimately been undone by a fired up Bridgend side, going down to defeat by 17 pts to 18.