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Page 2 of 2 Pontypridd 35 – 10 TreherbertPontypridd Youth may have won the Blues 'BI' Youth league in they're first season as third placed Treherbert are beaten and second placed Penygraig make a mockery of the Youth League system...
Penygraig again make a mockery of the Youth League, as they once again cancel their WRU League committee rearranged fixture at Pontypridd last Wednesday at short notice (rearranged at their request and on a date of they're choosing). So Ponty faced Treherbert on Saturday for their last home league game of this seasons campaign that could have won Pontypridd the league, depending on the WRU’s actions in regards Penygraig. If as WRU rules imply, Ponty are rightly awarded the points, then Pontypridd may have won the Blues 'BI' Youth league in they're first season. Ponty were again without a number of Key players with Lock Nathaniel Williams out with a dislocated shoulder, wings Lewis Williams and Stephen Parker, hamstring and back respectively, flanker Mike Davies knee and hooker Cai Daniel also unavailable. Ponty knew that they were going to face a huge challenge from Treherbert, who at third place in the league, could still win the title if they won all their remaining fixtures. Treherbert have a fearsome pack of forwards, and after their uncharacteristic heavy defeat against Ponty earlier in the season, they were in a determined mood. With Treherbert wanting to play to their key strengths up front and Ponty wanting an expansive game it was going to prove an intriguing match. As expected of such an important fixture for both sides, the first ten minutes were a tense affair, with both sides making basic errors and neither side clearly holding the upper hand. Treherbert seemed stronger at the set piece, however Ponty were far more aggressive in the loose, but with neither side really threatening. The longer the game went on scoreless, the more Treherbert seemed to gain in confidence and slowly they started to gain the upper hand with some powerful forward drives. But as it looked like Treherbert were likely to open the scoring, a wayward kick was collected by Ponty's impressive full back Rhys Simms, who launched a fantastic attack. Simms glided through the Treherbert defence, making forty metres or more, before giving right wing Ben Troake a perfect pass. Troake collected the ball and with one man to beat, took the route one approach, using brute strength to power through the tackle for the first try wide on the right that was superbly converted by Simms. This seemed to take the pressure off Ponty and they immediately attacked Treherbert straight from kick off, Dean Maisey collected the kick under immense pressure and set up the ruck. In a set move called by scrum half Sam Studley the ball was quickly taken on by the forwards, then passed out to midfield where flyhalf Lewis Smith used his centres as decoy runners before slipping a clever inside pass to powerful blindside flanker Jon Reid. The flanker burst through, making twenty metres to create a two on one where he unselfishly offloaded to the unmarked wing, but an unfortunate knock on after a difficult pass cost Ponty a sure try. Reid was not to be denied long though. After good rucking by the Ponty pack won a penalty for Ponty, Studley took a quick tap and charged at the disorganised Treherbert defence. When Studley was tackled, excellent support work by Reid saw him collect the pass and beat three would be tacklers to cross under the posts for Ponty's second try again converted by Simms. Treherbert needed to score quickly to get back in the game and after a series of powerful forward drives, were able to force Ponty's Smith into conceding a line out ten metres from the Ponty try line. Treherbert tried their catch and drive but Ponty had worked on this area well in training and stopped the maul without too much trouble, but with the Ponty back line offside, Treherbert were awarded a penalty which they again kicked for the corner. Ponty were under immense pressure but their defence of the maul was solid. On four separates occasions Ponty stopped the driving maul, but on each attempt Ponty were only able to clear to touch a few metres out, or were penalised, enabling Treherbert to set up the driving line out again. Eventually Treherbert abandoned the driving line out and moved the ball wide, where their centre managed to beat the rush defence and cross for a well deserved try. Ponty needed to get another score before half time to try to break the Treherbert spirit and it duly came after Smith confused the Treherbert defence with a sublime dummy and side step, before feeding centre Lewis Egal who burst through the midfield, taking out the cover defence and fed his centre partner Dan Dearden who raced thirty meters under the posts for another score converted by Simms The last move of the half saw Ponty awarded a close range penalty that was taken quickly by flanker Dafydd Gristock, who was stopped on the line, unable to ground the ball as the whistle went. Half time score Ponty 21 Treherbert 5. The second half again started slowly with neither side really dominating. Fullback Simms being the real danger man on the field as he caused Treherbert some real problems with his exciting running angles and pace. It was from another trademark Simms run that opened the second half scoring with Simms bursting up to half way before feeding centre Lewis Egal. Egal broke the tackle of his opposite number and sprinted away, drawing the cover before feeding Dearden. Dearden took the move on but was halted with a brilliant tackle, however he managed to offload in contact to the impressive Egal who had got back in support, and Egal raced away for a try under the posts, converted by Simms to take the score to 28 - 5. Ponty decided to ring the changes, with Sam Studley coming off with a dead leg, replaced by Liam Stacey, Owain Kingsbury making his debut at lock replaced Drew Evans, Tom Newberry replaced Dan Dearden at centre who had picked up an ankle injury in the last scoring move, and Rhys Ashman replacing Max Padfield on the left wing. The reshuffle caused Ponty to temporarily lose concentration, and a defensive slip in centre midfield allowed Treherbert to exploit a gap and they burst through. Full back Simms pulled off a try saving tackle taking the attacker man and ball, but whilst on the ground received some heavy rucking that resulted in a penalty to Treherbert as the referee felt Simms had not attempted to roll away. Treherbert took the penalty quickly and used their forwards to batter towards the Ponty line. Great tackling from the Ponty front row and wing Ben Troake, seemed to have stopped the move, however Treherbert were able to pick and drive again for a good try from their pack which again was unconverted. Pontypridd 28 Treherbert 10. Ponty were determined not to let the game slip and launched a series of promising attacks. The first saw no8 Alun Thomas burst away from a scrum and race twenty metres, however with players in support to his right and left, Thomas' pass didn't go to hand, and a real try scoring opportunity was lost. Within minutes Ponty's Simms was torturing the Treherbert defence again and after collecting a high up and under in his own twenty-two, he raced away beating four defenders and racing down the left wing over the Treherbert ten metre line, before chipping his opposite number who cynically took Simms out with a very late challenge to prevent what should have proved a simple score if Simms had been able to collect the ball cleanly. Amazingly to the frustration of the Ponty players and crowd, a penalty was not awarded and play continued with Treherbert able to clear their lines. With time running out Treherbert tried to force the pace of the game, and when from a slow ruck their scrum half launched a wild long pass into midfield, Ponty's Lewis Egal, raced through to intercept, and showed fantastic pace to race in unchallenged from the half way line, for the final try, again converted by Simms for a final score of Pontypridd 35 Treherbert 10. Once again there were many fine performances in the Ponty side, with Dean Maisey being his usual hard grafting self, Sam Studley was a real thorn in the Treherbert side, and Jon Reid who was back to his hard running best. Owain Kingsbury was impressive in his first outing at lock, But this week the man of the match award is shared between outstanding Full back Simms who although only 16 has proved himself a real prospect for the Senior Team, scoring 159 points this Season in only 15 appearances, and centre Lewis Egal, who after a hard grafting season alongside his partner Dan Dearden, was able to open his scoring account for the season with two impressive tries for himself, and also played a major role in putting Dearden in for his effort. Pontypridd Youth would like to thank Paul and the players and supporters of Treherbert, who contributed to a great game of rugby, and wish them well for the rest of the season. Next week the Youth are away for a friendly fixture on Saturday, with more details to follow on the web site. MATCH PHOTOS PASSWORD REQUIRED [see coaches] TRY scorers for Pontypridd: Ben Troake, Jonathan Reid, Dan Dearden and Lewis Egal (2). Rhys Simms kicked 5 Conversions.
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