STUCKEY HOLDS HIS NERVE TO NAIL VITAL KICK
PONTYPRIDD.............,,,....19 MERTHYR..........................17
DALE Stuckey has scored many great tries for Pontypridd during his wonderful career at Sardis Road, but these days he has added an extra string to his bow with goalkicking duties.
Having helped to set-up a kick and chase try for Cole Swannack a mere four minutes from the end of a pulsating game, the flying wing stepped up to add the extras to ensure his side took ample revenge for their mauling at The Wern earlier in the season.
The memory of that 61-32 defeat in the WRU Premiership Cup eastern section back in October would no doubt have cropped up in Justin Burnell’s pre-match team talk. It might also have gone through Stuckey’s mind as he lined-up his last gasp conversion to win the game.
His aim was good, the kick went over and the Ponty faithful roared their approval from the terraces as their side made it back-to-back victories to move up to seventh in the table. More significantly, they are now seven points off a play-off place, with a game in hand.
The Ironmen got off to a flying start when their schemer in chief, outside half Gareth Thompson, moved his team into an attacking position with an inch-perfect 50-22 kick that earned his side a fifth minute line out in the home 22.
They took full advantage of the opportunity as Chris Phillips was driven over and Thompson added the extras. It was nip and tuck from there on to half-time. Jake Lloyd kicked a 28th minute penalty for the home side, Thompson missed a few minutes later before adding three more points four minutes from the break.
A Merthyr infringement just before half-time then allowed Lloyd to narrow the gap to four points with his second successful kick and it was anyone’s game in the second half. Lloyd’s third success four minutes after the re-start made it a one-point game.
But Merthyr were in no mood to flinch and they hit back immediately. A loose kick from their own 22 by Ponty allowed old boy Ben Jones to go on a gallop and he made considerable ground before sending Tom Daley over for a try in the corner that Thompson converted.
That put Merthyr back in front, if not in charge, and set up a thrilling finish. Stuckey kicked a penalty on 73 minutes and then a few minutes later made the most of a forward pass by the Ironmen in the home 22.
Stuckey kicked the ball downfield and joined Wales Sevens cap Swannack in a high-speed foot race race down field. The younger legs of Swannack won the day and he hacked ahead and won the race for the touchdown.
Up stepped Stuckey and over went the conversion to win the game, albeit against the run of play. 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