Ironmen spoil Ponty’s 3G party
PONTYPRIDD .............. 21 MERTHYR .................... 39
PONTYPRIDD’S first meaningful attack was thwarted by an interception by opposition scrum half Rhys Downes who was then chased down by Chris Dicomidis and forced into touch just short of scoring.
From the following phase of play Merthyr outside half Gareth Davies crossed from close range for the first try of the match with full back Mathew Jarvis converting.
At the first scrum of the match the Ironmen showed their dominance up front and were awarded a penalty. From the territory gained former Ponty prop James Howe crashed over at the side of the posts, Matthew Jarvis again converting the score.
The home side finally got on the score sheet when outside half Ceri Sweeney burst on to a Jake Thomas offload to dive in under the posts. Sweeney then easily converted his own try.
Quick fire back to back tries for the Valley Commandos came courtesy of another Ceri Sweeney touchdown after an excellent chip kick was re-gathered by Alex Webber who fed Callum Hall who then passed on to Sweeney to race 20m to score out wide, then expertly converting his own score.
Merthyr struck back with two penalties converted by full back Matthew Jarvis, and a missed effort from his opposing number Ceri Sweeney sending Ponty in at the interval trailing by 14-20.
At the start of the second half Merthyr capitalised on a Pontypridd mistake when from a driving maul No 8 Tom Daley crossed with Matthew Jarvis again converting.
Ponty wasted no time in responding with a try of their own as winger Alex Webber crossed out wide, Sweeney converting from the touchline.
The mid-stages of the second half failed to have any real pattern or continuity due to several injury stoppages and substitutions. Those substitutions finally took their toll on Ponty when visitors’ flanker Ed Siggery crashed through the home defence to score, with Matthew Jarvis converting.
With time running out for the hosts it was the away side who finished the stronger, winger Terri Gee darting over in the corner to see Merthyr run out as convincing winners.