It’s muddy marvellous for Ponty against Vale
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP TIER 1
EBBW Vale worked off a strong set piece to gain early territory and put points on the board through a Josh Lewis penalty.
The home side were dominant, Ponty pressurised into conceding penalties and back-tracking into their own 22.
As Ebbw pounced on a loose ball they forged an opportunist attack with Josh Lewis going over for a try which he then converted.
Ponty’s woes were compounded as Ceri Sweeney was yellow carded for a late challenge on Josh Lewis, who was subsequently forced off injured. Ebbw set up a driving maul from a lineout, going close to scoring as Ponty endured a torrid first quarter of the game. Having defended stoically against the odds the visitors then struck back emphatically with a kick and rush foray, Ceri Sweeney back in action to dive over for a try which he also converted.
Both sides went close to scoring in the atrocious conditions but Ponty working hard at the breakdown preventing the home team from building momentum, and finishing the first half strongly, trailing by only 10-7.
Pontypridd resumed the second half on the attack enjoying all the possession and territory. The Steelmen were themselves reduced to 14 when No 8 Harri Keddie was sinbinned as the referee’s patience finally ran out after a string of penalties at the breakdown. Ceri Sweeney duly kicked the penalty to level the scores.
The Valley Commandos took advantage of their numerical advantage and edged ahead for the first time in the match when captain Daf Lockyer broke clear from the halfway line to glide over under the posts with Sweeney again converting the score.
With Ponty infringing at the scrum, Ebbw full back Dan Haymond controversially kicked a penalty as both linesmen raised their flags only for the referee to initially rule out the score, but relented following a brief conference.
The visitors responded with a foray upfield, Ceri Sweeney slotting over a penalty to open up a seven-point lead going in to the closing stages.
In worsening conditions it was Ponty who controlled the ball by poaching lineouts and turning over the ball at regular intervals to see out the final minutes of play in the home half.
When the referee blew for full time it brought to an end an heroic 80 minutes of rugby from the Valley Commandos who ran out as deserved winners.