DALE HOLDS HIS NERVE TO SNATCH WIN
YOU can always rely on Dale McIntosh to put things in proper perspective – and for once the former Pontypridd legend and now Merthyr head coach wasn’t spitting feathers after seeing his side lose at the death at Sardis Road.
Having seen his team win the last encounter between the two teams 61-32 at The Wern in October, he would have arrived at his old stomping ground hoping for more of the same.
That didn’t happen, but the Ironmen were in full control of their destiny.
“I’m pleased for Ponty and gutted for us, but with the state of the world today it is just another game of rugby,” said McIntosh. “There wasn’t much more we could have done on the attacking front.
“We all know that if you don’t close down Pontypridd they are going to bite you on the bum and I’m dumbfounded at how they won that game.
“It just showed their tenacity and why they are such a great club.
“Cowboys don’t cry, so we will just get on with it.”
McIntosh’s men got off to a flying start when they took full advantage of a line-out secured by a 50:22 kick from Gareth Thompson to work Chris Phillips over for a try. Thompson added the extras before swapping penalties with Jake Lloyd.
Lloyd added a second penalty to make it 10-6 to the visitors at the break and cut the gap to a single point with a third kick at the start of the second half.
But Merthyr hit back immediately when a Ben Jones run paved the way for Tom Daley to cross in the corner for a try that Thompson converted.
Then came the drama at the death that turned the game in the home side’s favour. Dale Stuckey kicked a penalty in the 73rd minute and then set up a try for Cole Swannack in the dying minutes when he seized on a forward pass in his 22 and banged the ball downfield.
He gave chase with Swannack, but the young Wales Sevens cap beat him to it, hacked on and scored the try that levelled things up at 17-17.
That left Stuckey with a conversion to win the game and he was bang on target.
Pontypridd – Try: C Swannack. Con: D Stuckey. Pens; J Lloyd (3), D Stuckey.
Merthyr – Tries: C Phillips, T Daley. Cons: G Thompson (2). Pen: G Thompson.