54 17
P ONTYPRIDD celebrated a momentous milestone for captain Dafydd Lockyer with an eight-try thrashing of Bedwas at Sardis Road.
Lockyer, making his 350th appearance, played a starring role as Pontypridd moved to within two points of Principality Premiership leaders Merthyr who slipped up against Cardiff on Friday night.
A penalty try plus touchdowns from Cameron Lewis, Liam Belcher, Chris Dicomidis, Dale Stuckey, Lewis Williams and Alex Webber, while Williams contributed 17 points.
All Bedwas could muster were two tries from Tom Hoppe and seven points from the boot of Joseph Scrivens.
The visitors hadn’t read the script and were the better side in the first half before Pontypridd’s power blew them away after the break.
Pontypridd controlled the opening quarter of this game with their scrum dominance resulting in a penalty try.
With the referee being left with no choice but to go between the posts things went from bad to worse for Bedwas who had former Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs prop Chris Budgen sent to the sin bin.
But Stefan Sankala’s side showed plenty of enterprise in attack with blindside flanker Armitage sparking them into life with a 40 metres break CRAIG Warlow is still wondering how his Newport side can go from beating the reigning champions Merthyr at The Wern to losing 43-10 at Llandovery a week later.
Regardless of how the transformation happened, the Black & Ambers head coach wants a reaction from his players at Rodney Parade today when they welcome Carmarthen Quins – weather permitting.
Having beaten the west Walians 29-10 at Carmarthen Park on the opening day of the season, nothing less than a double will do for Warlow.
“You’re almost at your most vulnerable when you think things are going well. It can be difficult to maintain before being taken down by a terrific covering tackle by Rhys Shellard.
Bedwas kept the pressure on and were yet again narrowly denied when Kane Teear-Bourge was stopped by another superb covering tackle, this time by Pontypridd full-back Dale Stuckey.
The home side finally gave into the pressure when Rhodri Jones was sent to the sin bin for wandering offside just as Bedwas were building. But Bedwas’ first try was gift-wrapped with a loose pass from Lewis Williams allowing Tom Hoppe to intercept and score.
Despite the visitors’ dominance Pontypridd took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Webber hacked a loose ball forward for Lewis to give the hosts a 14-10 lead at the interval.
Pontypridd were a completely different side in the second-half with Justin Burnell’s side reverting to type succeeding in overpowering Bedwas up-front.
And replacement hooker Belcher that intensity, particularly after a great win like we had at Merthyr,” claimed Warlow.
“Perhaps subconsciously some people think they are in a better position than they actually are. Almost everything went wrong for us at Llandovery last weekend and everyone knows we need a response on Sunday.
“There is pressure to produce a much better performance and I’m comfortable with that. Although we are halfway through the season, I don’t think the table is a perfect indication of where most teams are in the league.
“We’ve only had five home games PONTYPOOL powered to a 12th Rhydyfelin were both postponed. win from as many games in the Glynneath went top of One West WRU National Championship, Central after a 31-0 bonus-point running out 45-6 home victors win over Kenfig Hill. over Beddau, Craig Tennant scored twice and
Outside centre Joel Mahoney other tries came from James Robscored a try in each half for Pooler, erts and Ben Jones. who were 14-6 to the good at half There was also a penalty try and time, with right wing Jordan Jack O’Reilly added two converThomas, prop Aaron Coundley, sions. scrum-half Martin Luckwell and It extend their unbeaten run to replacement Cameron Watsonnine matches and saw them leapBoycott also going after the break, frog Ystalyfera at the top. to add to other centre Kieran Aberavon Quins lifted themMeek’s other try for the hosts in the selves off the bottom thanks to a first half. 29-12 home win over Maesteg
Outside half Matthew Lewis Celtic. converted both first-half tries and It was only their third win of the three in the second. season and gave the new coaching
His opposite number Hywel duo of Andrew Dacey and Patrick Chatham booted two first half penO’Callaghan their first taste of sucextended their lead as he crossed alties for the visitors. cess since taking over from Michael from short range following a wellYstrad Rhondda moved back Hook at the start of the month. worked driving lineout from the into second spot after they won One East leaders Brynmawr had hosts. 18-12 at Trebanos to take advantheir game at Hartridge cut short at
The Cardiff Blues hooker had only tage of Cardiff Met’s 31-10 defeat at half time. been on the field for five minutes Newcastle Emlyn. The Pirates were leading 14-3 at when he was touching down for his No.8 Liam Davies and replacethe time thanks to tries from Tomas second score after some nice interment Jay Harris got the tries for Bainton and James Mear, conplay between forwards and backs. Ystrad, the first of which was converted by Liam Butler, and looking
Cypriot international Dicomidis verted by full-back Corey Shephard forward to playing with the elewas next to score as he ran in from 20 who also booted two penalties. ments in the second half. metres out after an initial break from The hosts actually led 7-3 at half But the referee decided enough his own half by Shellard. By now evetime and then 12-10 thanks to tries was enough and they’ll have to do rything was going Pontypridd’s way from skipper and hooker Rhys it all over again at another time. as Stuckey pounced on a deflected Thomas along with second Rhys It meant arch-rivals Brecon were kick to run in unopposed from just Morgan with wing Matthew able to steal a march and cut the outside his own 22. Edwards converting one of them. gap at the top of the table with their
Stuckey was also the architect of Pontypool have 59 points and 25-19, bonus-point win at Nelson. their seventh try as he danced his are 14 clear of Ystrad with a game That game was switched to the way past some poor Bedwas tackles. in hand. artificial surface at Ystrad Mynach He was eventually brought down but Cardiff Met, who are now two and the surface allowed Andy the ball was put through the phases points further back in third and Powell’s men to play some decent for Lewis Evans to sneak over. have played two more games than rugby to claim the four tries that
Hoppe grabbed a consolation try Pooler, were defeated by Emlyn at took them to within one point of for Bedwas. But Webber rubbed salt Dol Wiber, with Emlyn themselves the top two in the league, Bryninto Bedwas’ wounds as he took a moving off the foot of the table as a mawr and Penallta, with a game in pop pass from Williams saw cap off result of them winning and Bedhand. an excellent individual performance. dau, who are now bottom, losing at Penallta’s game at Risca was also off.Pooler.
Steffan Evans, Calum Evans, Caerleon beat Cwmbran 16-14 Osian Davies and Llyr Jones were while at Blaenavon Pontypool all among the scorers in a timely United ran out 8-0 victors. bonus-point home win for Emlyn, The weather claimed the entire only their third triumph of the programme in One East Central campaign so far. while in One North, Llandudno
Russell Bennett got the Met try were able to extend their lead at which he also converted as well as the top to thanks to a 31-7 bonusadding a penalty. point win at home over Mold and
Elsewhere it was a tale of two the fact that second placed Pwllsecond half penalties in a lowheli didn’t play. scoring game at Bedlinog where Wing Rhys Henderson scored their game with Newbridge ended twice and the Lennon brothers, 3-3. outside half Arthur and full-back
Winger Rhys Walker kicked the Oscar, also crossed. Arthur added Foxes into the lead, only for outthree conversions and replaceside half Sam Withers to level matment wing Gareth Coy got the ters from the tee for visitors Newother try. bridge. Just two games beat the weather
The two other scheduled games, in One West. Aberystwyth beat LlaMaesteg Quins verses Tata Steel ngennech 29-10 while Kidwelly and Narberth’s home clash with edged Gowerton 8-3. to date this season and all of our away matches have been tough.”
The Black & Ambers have been the Principality Premiership’s own Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde this season, yet still found themselves in the top half of the table heading into this weekend’s round of fixtures – locked on 41 points with Llandovery and only three points clear of the ninth-placed Quins.
The Quins will have Scarlets South African recruit Clayton Blommetijies at full-back for them and the Newport midfield will have to keep a sharp eye out for Wales Under-18 centre Osian Knott. He scored a great try for the Quins against Pontypridd recently.