IRONMEN’S WINNING RUN COMES TO AN END

PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP BRIDGEND ................... 40 MERTHYR .................... 10

AFTER winning their last four league games, Merthyr’s winning run came to a crashing halt at the Brewery Field Bridgend on Friday night where the Ravens ran out comfortable winners 40-10.

This was a poor allround performance from the Ironmen as the Ravens took advantage of poor tackling and dropped passes.

Merthyr started on the attack in the opening quarter as they put pressure on Bridgend and were rewarded with two kickable penalties which they turned down and opted for the catch and drive at the lineout, but good home defence kept them out. As Bridgend settled they drove upfield and a good carry from home captain Adam O’Driscoll was rewarded when young outside half Joe Scrivens kicked a penalty as Merthyr were guilty of handling on the ground. Poor handling from the Merthyr forwards gifted Bridgend the opening try as they spilled the ball 35m from their line and when the Bridgend backs moved the ball swiftly wing man Ryan Griffiths raced away for the try, Scrivens converted for a 10-0 lead.

Merthyr hit back as No 8 Nick White made good ground supported by Ben Murphy and when Bridgend were guilty of offside, Jarvis made no mistake with a 40m penalty to reduce the score 10-3. From the restart Bridgend won good ball and as Merthyr missed several tackles which allowed home centre Joe Gatt to race away under the posts, Scrivens converted and Merthyr found themselves 17-3 down. As hard as Merthyr tried they kept making silly errors with dropped passes and knock-ons letting Bridgend off the hook.

Just before half time the referee yellow carded Merthyr’s Gareth Davies and home skipper O’Driscoll for an off-theball scuffle, from which Scrivens kicked a penalty to give Bridgend a 20-3 half time lead.

A stern half time talk from the Merthyr coaches seemed to work as Merthyr started the second half in a more positive mood and an early attack from the Merthyr forwards Howe and Siggery drove Merthyr up onto the Bridgend line, but once again a dropped pass saw Bridgend kick long up field and as the ball bounce kindly for wing man Powell who found second row Owen Lloyd up in support to take the pass and score under the posts, Scrivens converted to give Bridgend a 27-3 lead.

Merthyr then made several changes which seemed to work with good carries from Tom Daley and Rhys Williams which set up quick ball for the Merthyr backs which saw wing man Ellis Wyn Benhan race away for a try, Jarvis converted to reduce the score to 27-10.

Merthyr still made silly errors and as hard as they tried it was not going to be their night. Scrivens extended Bridgend’s lead further when a tackle from Jarvis was deemed late as he kicked his third penalty of the night.

As hard as Merthyr tried things didn’t seemed to get any better as another attack broke down just over the half way line which saw wing man Powell scoop the pass up and race in from 50m, Scrivens converted for a 37-10 lead.

Just before the final whistle Scrivens kicked his fourth penalty of the night to give Bridgend a 40-10 win and a bonus point for their four tries.

This was a very disappointing performance from the Ironmen after several good results over the last few weeks, however with all but one of the top sides losing the result still keeps Merthyr second in the table.

The Merthyr coaches will be bitterly disappointed with some of the players’ performances which they need to put right this week as they welcome Neath to the Wern this Saturday for a 1.30pm kick-off before the Wales v Argentina international.

PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP LLANDOVERY ............. 37 PONTYPRIDD ................ 3

LLANDOVERY made the most of early possession to maintain pressure in and about the visitors’ 22, going close to scoring in the corner.

The breakthrough came as a wide midfield pass put centre Richard Smith in for a try which outside half Jack Maynard converted.

The first 10 minutes had been played almost exclusively in the Ponty half, their hosts’ dominance rewarded as Maynard hoisted a penalty between the posts, only for his opposite number Callum Hall to respond with a penalty of his own against the run of play.

The contest was often a dogfight for possession, slowed down by re-set scrums and the referee’s whistle, his decisions for a while favouring the home team who again went close following a line-out drive followed by a strong scrummage to the line. Ponty edged their way back into contention in what was a scrappy contest, launching a kick and rush counter into the home half.

Llandovery responded with a series of concerted drives into a stubborn Ponty defence, eventually settling for a Maynard penalty to register an interval lead of 13-3.

The second half started with home full back Lee Rees red carded for taking an opponent out in midair. The Drovers persisted in attack until Ponty wing Dale Stuckey intercepted to strike back. Frustrations then boiled over into a mass punch-up with red cards to follow for Dan Godfrey and Owen Sheppeard of Pontypridd and Richard Brooks of Llandovery.

When some rugby eventually broke out, the home team extended their lead through a well-struck Jack Maynard penalty. Ponty in turn attempted to put together some phases of attack but were thwarted by their own errors as much as their opponents’ defence. Llandovery launched a dynamic wide attack, hooker Dafydd Hughes then charging through from a ruck to score a try which Maynard converted.

Going into the final quarter, the home team were maintaining a territorial advantage and struck again with an overlap try scored by winger Rhodri Wall and converted from a wide angle by Maynard. Wall again had a scoring opportunity as Llandovery held the upper hand, pressing into the visitors’ 22 before an opportunist kick and chase by Dale Stuckey briefly lifted the siege.

Working off a strong scrum platform Llandovery continued to press, replacement Rhodri Jones slicing through for a try which Maynard c onverted with the final kick of the game, cementing an emphatic home win by 37-3.