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Page 1 of 2 Pontypridd defeat Cardiff 28 - 16 in a scrappy, but dominant display in front of 3'500 at Sardis Road. Bridgend slip up at home 16 - 25 to pace setters Neath.
Pontypridd lost their inspirational captain Dale McIntosh before kick off as he pulled up with a leg injury in the warm up, though he managed to run to the burger van OK :-) No seriously, there may be an underlying knee injury? Dale will have a scan on his left knee before the club's crunch match at champions Neath on Saturday. "I stood down just before the kick-off because I was having slight trouble," McIntosh said last night "Obviously I'm pleased with this latest win though we were a bit uncertain in the first half." He was joined in the watching crowd by several former Ponty players and their current team mates. Wandering around with their families could be seen Craig Quinnell and Dan Bahr. Whilst hovering with the sick brigade of Kevin Morgan on his crutches and Gareth Wyatt with his arm in a sling, was Robert Sidoli who happily signed autographs wherever he went. Several other famous faces could be seen in the crowd, not least former Ponty stalwart and honorary Italian Lynn Howells.
From ponty.net:
Ponty went on the retreat from the kick off, their missed touch finders giving the visitors scope to counter attack. Cardiff’s early period of dominance was rewarded with a penalty converted by their outside half Chris Anderson, with seven minutes gone. Ponty were attempting to unleash their back line, an incisive break by Matthew Nuthall giving them impetus upfield, an overlap created for Chris Clayton, but the winger losing the ball as he crossed the line. Undeterred, the home team worked hard to up the tempo of the game, scrum half Gareth Jones darting through the visitors’ defence, providing plenty of entertainment for a large and vociferous Sardis Road crowd. Despite all their efforts, Ponty committed errors to yield their initiative, Cardiff setting up a series of forward drives, then manufacturing a neat midfield move for full back Jamie Roberts to cruise in for a try, the score converted by Anderson. Any attempts by Ponty to strike back were undone by their handling errors, and their problems compounded as Richard Langmead pulled wide a kickable penalty. A quickly taken tap penalty from Gareth Jones set Ponty off on a robust attack, and claiming their first points of the afternoon through a Langmead penalty from in front of the posts. With Morgan Stoddart on for the injured Jason Pocock, Ponty were now showing a real hunger for possession, and more inventiveness in attack. The home forwards were scavenging for every loose ball, keeping play up in the visitors’ twenty-two, but for all their hard work, failing to put points on the board. Playing a series of tap penalties followed by hard driving play, Ponty gained a field position to set up an attacking line out and drive over the line, but no score given. The home team were now camped on the Cardiff line, a pick up and drive from the base of a scrum again very nearly creating a score. Gathering a clearance kick, Ponty full back Stoddart set off on an abrasive run, the ball recycled and fed out to centre Tom Riley who crossed for a try. The home team were again furious in their efforts to claim loose ball, another counter attack instigated by Stoddart and followed by a fine break from winger Nuthall, who was driven over to claim a touchdown, giving Ponty an interval lead of 13 pts to 10. The second half commenced as a carbon copy of the first, Cardiff taking up the initiative in attack, but outside half Anderson pulling wide a penalty attempt. Ponty responded like a pack of dervishes, hounding and harassing their opponents relentlessly to get back on top. A Stoddart break from his own twenty-two sent Ponty on a flowing move upfield, showing excellent handling skills and support play. The home team were pounding the gain line, unstoppable until flanker Rhys Shellard crossed the line, but the ball dislodged from his grip in the act of scoring. Ponty were applying intense pressure, another burst from Morgan Stoddart well supported by lock Chris Martenko, but a knock on proving costly to the home team’s efforts to score. Going into the final quarter of an action packed encounter, Ponty were camped in the visitors’ twenty-two, Rhys Shellard setting off on a gallop and winger Clayton pulled down just short of the line. Recycling the ball well, Ponty set up centre Dafydd Lockyer on a charge which took him over for a crucial try, the score converted by Langmead. Cardiff responded with a successful Chris Anderson penalty, before Adam Powell came off the bench in place of Rhys Shellard, and Grant Harrington in place of Chris Martenko. Ponty were now well and truly in the driving seat, punching holes in the gain line and showing great support skills to maintain their dominance. A series of attacking scrums and drives by the home pack gave Richard Langmead the opportunity to stroke over another penalty. Against the run of play, Cardiff struck back with another Anderson penalty, before another double substitution saw Gerald Cox coming on for Ryan Harford and Darren Berry for Chris Clayton. Unrelenting to the end, Ponty swarmed upfield, a kick and rush attack finished off with a try claimed by centre Riley, wrapping up a fine performance by the Valley Commandos, which could have earned them a far more comprehensive winning margin than the 28 pts to 16 registered on the scoreboard. George Williams, Wales on Sunday:
Relegation-haunted Cardiff slipped to their eighth defeat in their last 10 Premier matches. Ponty coach Simon King watched his side lead 13-10 at the interval despite mistakes. "I told them at half-time to stay calm and then the points would come," said King.This was Ponty's 12th success in 15 Premier matches this season, having lost at Cross Keys and Bridgend and home to Llanelli and it was also their fourth successive home league victory over Cardiff. An estimated 3,500 crowd saw Ponty surge to their third successive win after that Brewery Field defeat. Centre Tom Riley scored two of Ponty's four tries, one in each half. UWIC student Riley, aged 20, agreed his second was a gift. Cardiff full-back Jamie Roberts marred an otherwise sound game by failing to clear off his line in the first minute of five minutes stoppage time. "We were a bit nervous at the start, knowing it was a big occasion for us all. But we settled down later," said Riley, a Blues Academy player. Riley's first try, and then one by wing Matthew Nuthall in the last five minutes of the first half, put Ponty back on track after being 10-3 down in 24 minutes. Ironically, Nuthall scored the decisive try - for Cardiff - in their 19-12 home win over Ponty last season. Outside-half Chris Anderson kicked 11 points for Cardiff including three of his four penalty attempts. Anderson and Roberts looked confident for much of the game apart from Roberts' late error. Wing Chris Clayton knocked on near the line in an early Ponty chapter of errors as Cardiff began comfortably. Roberts' 15th minute try was well deserved, capping a move sparked by Anderson and scrum-half Owen Ruttley. Anderson's third penalty to cut the deficit to 20-13 after 64 minutes meant Cardiff were still well in it. Centre Dafydd Hewitt and No 8 James Malpas were asking searching questions of Ponty's defence. And Cardiff still had a glimmer of hope as Anderson's final penalty brought them back to 23-16. Then came the killer blow as Riley snapped up his gift. But Ponty's third try, by centre Dafydd Lockyer after 61 minutes showed Ponty pressure as its best. Here was a typically tough local derby, mistakes mixed with some inspired spells - but no yellow cards. As a gesture of acknowledgement to the great levels of support they had enjoyed against Cardiff, the Ponty team returned to the field after the final whistle to applaud the crowd. "On big occasions like this, with the game being close fought, as it was for long periods against Cardiff, the noise of the crowd makes such a difference" said skipper Nathan Strong. "We can hear the chants coming on loudly from both sides of the park, and it gives the boys a big lift. We felt that we needed to show our appreciation to the crowd at the end of the game - they make the atmosphere at Sardis Road something special". Pontypridd have three home fixtures coming up in the month of January, a cup tie against Narberth on Saturday the 14, a premiership tie against Glamorgan Wanderers the following Tuesday evening 17 January, and a league tie against Swansea on Saturday 28 January. Try scorers for Pontypridd: Tom Riley (2), Dafydd Lockyer, Mathew Nuthall.
Richard Langmead kicked two penalties and one conversion.
Try Scorer for Cardiff: Jamie Roberts. Chris Anderson kicked three penalties and one conversion. "Golden Bob” man of the match – Ben Phillips Pontypridd Line up: 15.Jason Pocock (Morgan Stoddart). 14.Chris Clayton (Darren Berry). 13.Tom Riley. 12.Dafydd Lockyer. 11.Matthew Nuthall. 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Gareth Jones. 1.Stuart Williams. 2.Ben Phillips. 3.Ryan Harford (Gerald Cox). 4.Chris Martenko (Grant Harrington). 5.Chris Dicomidis. 6.Lee Evans. 7.Rhys Shellard (Adam Powell). 8.Nathan Strong – cpt. Officials of Pontypridd RFC were pleased with the response from their supporters. "We are seeing more and more familiar faces, people who were at one time die-hard Ponty fans, but backed away following the club's loss of professional status, and the demise of the Warriors, now returning to Sardis Road" said Ponty Rugby media officer Guto Davies. "Our aim now is to encourage these supporters to make it a habit to come along to our games. Saturday afternoons, with a regular 2:30 pm kick off time, is a traditional time devoted to rugby. Our young team are challenging for honours, they are playing with passion and with no little amount of skill, and with a huge amount of pride for the club badge. The supporters can sense that, and know they will have good entertainment value for their money. The Observer campaign has provided a huge boost to our drive to get the big crowds flocking back to the House of Pain". DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR CARDIFF AT SARDIS: Pontypridd Schools Under 15's recorded 16 - 0 win over old rivals Cardiff in their traditional Boxing Day fixture at Sardis Road, the first time they have done so in the past seven seasons.
The young Pontypridd team paraded the trophy that came with the win over Cardiff before the game and during half time of the New Years Eve fixture at Sardis Road.
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