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Page 2 of 3 YOUTH RUGBYPontyclun 31 - 22 Pontypridd Rhys Simms breaks the 200 point barrier for the season as Lewis Smith breaches the 100 mark, in this thrilling local derby that saw the home side dominate the first half and the visitors the second.
Young Ponty accepted a late invitation to play an end of season friendly at Pontyclun on Saturday, as both sides wanted to keep their squads active before tour commitments. Pontyclun are one division above Pontypridd in the league tables. Pontypridd only had 19 players available for this game and were without influential pair Dan Dearden and Dean Maisey, along with Nathaniel Williams, Drew Evans, Ben Miles, Lewis Williams and Liam Stacey. So it was a new look line up the Upstarts, with a welcome return to Ponty colours for wing Steve Parker after a serious long-standing back injury. Pontyclun were also without a number of their senior youth players who were on duty for the firsts, but still were able to field nine senior youth players who would be making their final home appearances before joining the senior ranks in September. The Upstarts started the game brightly, exerting the early pressure, with Sam Studley playing in his more familiar back row position where he caused real problems for the Pontyclun defence. After a trademark break by Studley the Upstarts were able to open the scoring after Pontyclun were penalised for diving over at the ruck. With Pontyclun retreating expecting the penalty kick, open-side flanker Dafydd Gristock took a quick tap penalty and sprinted over to the left of the posts to take the lead. Photo... Fullback Simms who was on 199 points for the season seemed a little nervous at the potential milestone he could achieve and uncharacteristically sliced what should have been a straightforward conversion attempt. Pontyclun were quick to respond and after the visitors failed to gather the high ball from the restart, Pontyclun were able to provide quick ball for their centre Luke Rose to burst through some weak Ponty tackling in midfield, beating four attempted tacklers, before crossing wide on the right for an equalising try that was unconverted. The visitors again failed to put pressure on Pontyclun at the restart and once more this freed Rose on another powerful run, straight through the shell shocked Ponty midfield, where he raced away for his second try in the space of a minute. The simple conversion was slotted to take Pontyclun into a 12 - 5 lead. Pontypridd steadied the ship and after a great run by flyhalf Lewis Smith, supported by Lewis Egal, the visitors were able to win another penalty as Pontyclun were penalised for cynically killing the ball at the ruck. Once again it seemed as if the 200-point barrier was weighing on his shoulders as the usually reliable Simms pulled the kick narrowly wide. Pontypridd should have added to their score when a brilliant blindside break from Smith, Simms and Lewis Egal, put right wing Ben Troake through for what should have been a simple try, but a great defensive tackle cut him down just a metre short. The Upstarts were able to regain possession, and when Pontyclun were penalised for some off the ball activity, Simms finally converted a simple penalty to take his tally to 202 for the season and break that 200-point duck, to a warm round of applause from both sets of supporters. Pontyclun soon had more to celebrate, when the upstarts again failed to collect the restart. The ball was allowed to bounce clean into the hands of the chasing Pontyclun pack, who took play to deep within the Pontypridd twenty-two metre line and some great mauling work from the pack earned another converted try to take the score to 19 -8. The visitors first half misery was not yet completed though, as Pontyclun were able to run a clever set play in midfield from the scrum that found the Pontypridd midfield tackling wanting and Pontyclun were able to put their winger away for another simple try wide out on the left. Half Time score Pontyclun 24 Pontypridd 8. With only four substitutes, the visitors options were limited. However flanker Mike Davies came on in place of Jon Reid, to try to bring greater mobility to the Ponty pack, with Marc Jones replacing Cai Daniel and Steve Parker coming on at wing, with Max Padfield moving to full back allowing Rhys Simms to push into the centre and partner Lewis Egal in an attempt to strengthen the midfield defence. Despite the changes Pontypridd had another disastrous start to the second half? They were penalised for accidental offside and Pontyclun were able to kick to the corner to set up a driving line out. The drive was initially stopped, but was recycled and eventually the Pontyclun halfbacks created another simple converted try under the posts. At long last Ponty started to wake up as Studley stopped another Pontyclun attack with a brilliant tackle, Gristock was able to steal possession to feed Smith, who launched a clever downfield kick. Centre Lewis Egal put in an outstanding tackle on the covering fullback and Studley stole the loose ball to feed Rhys Ashman, who dummied his way through the cover defence before drawing the fullback and putting Troake in for a try at the left corner. With the pressure of the "200" off Simms he converted from the touchline to take the scores to 31-15. The upstarts had started to up their work rate immensely, but were unhappy with Pontyclun being allowed to continually slow the ball down and get away with several high tackles as the pressure mounted on them. Eventually a fantastic lineout take from Owain Kingsbury set up a powerful driving maul for the upstarts. Pontyclun appeared to have stopped the maul just on the try line as powerful prop Marc Jones peeled away to the left to score a clear and well deserved try, but the referee overruled the touch down as he had been unsighted on the right? Ponty were awarded the scrum but spilled possession from a back row move saw the home side clear the danger. The visitors were denied another try after strong tackling on half way saw the Pontyclun left wing spill possession, in true poacher fashion flanker Gristock fly hacked the ball on and won the race to claim his second try of the game, but the score was ruled out and a scrum was awarded to Pontypridd back where the Pontyclun wing lost possession? Pontyclun seemed to up their game again and were unlucky not to score again after a powerful series of drives that saw the forwards stopped just a metre short of the try line. Pontyclun were awarded a five-metre scrum and seemed destined to score, but replacement hooker Sam Oliver took a steal against the head for Pontypridd in his first scrum of the game and Smith cleared the ball into touch. From the line out Pontyclun launched another quality back move and as their full back joined the line to create the overlap a try seemed certain. However fantastic tackling by Ben Troake, Max Padfield and Smith, saw the Pontyclun wing picked off his feet as he crossed the Pontypridd try-line and carried into touch. Ponty were now starting to believe in an upset and when Alun Thomas went on a powerful run from his own twenty-two, the back row of Studley, Gristock and Davies were able to carry the move on. When the move stopped just outside the Pontyclun twenty-two, the upstarts scrumhalf Ashman was able to give quick ball to Smith, who used Ben Troake as a decoy before dummying and side-stepping his way over for a try that took his personal points tally to 101 for the season. Simms again converted to set up a nail biting finish. With time against them Pontypridd tried to run everything in an attempt to get another score, however Pontyclun were keen to wind the clock down and although Ponty were awarded several penalties as the referee lost patience with Pontyclun, the visitors needed to get a try and opted to run the ball. Despite some promising moves, particularly from Studley, Smith, Simms and Egal, Pontypridd couldn't quite get the score they deserved and the match ended Pontyclun 31 Pontypridd 22. Whilst this was a disappointing result for Pontypridd, who struggled to find the form of recent months, the way they battled back into the game during the second half was a credit to the young team, but if lady luck had smiled on them when Jones and Gristock were denied clear tries in the second-half, they might even have stolen the honours. Pontyclun were worthy winners on the day and the experience of their older heads was a major factor in the result, although one wonders how different a story it would have been if the Pontypridd ball carriers of Maisey and Dearden had been available. Pontypridd Man of the Match this week was Lewis Smith who deservedly got his 100 club points for the season and was a major factor in the second-half come back. Sam Studley, Alun Thomas and Lewis Egal also caught the eye in the Ponty performance. Each was at the heart of all of Pontypridd’s best play, whilst Simms, after a nervous start had a solid second half and took his personal points total to a magnificent 205 for the Season. Match Photos... TRY scorers for Pontypridd: Dafydd Gristock, Ben Troake and Lewis Smith. Rhys Simms kicked two conversions and a penalty. Man of the match: Lewis Smith.
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