Newbridge 22-30 Pontypridd – Match Report
Pontypridd continued their winning run in the Welsh Premiership with a 30-22 win over Newbridge at The Welfare Ground.
Tries from Ioan Evans, Joe Davies and Ieuan Davies saw the visitors hold on, with centre Evans also kicking three penalties and two conversions.
Ponty opened the scoring in the early stages through Ioan Evans who kicked a penalty after an off feet infringement from ‘Bridge loosehead Gareth Young.
Evans’ second penalty of the game after 12 minutes went wide after second row Ieuan Davies was tackled off the ball, but Ponty capitalised following the restart.
Number 8 Joe Miles made a break and offloaded to his scrum half Joel Raikes who was stopped by a tackle from a Newbridge defender, but on the following phase, centre Evans broke through the line to score. He converted his own try to give his side a 10-0 lead.
With the hosts looking to get back into the game with an attack, wing Joe Davies read the play brilliantly as he picked off a pass inside his own 22 and ran over 80 meters and scored underneath the crossbar for his team’s second try. Fullback Dale Stuckey took over the kicking duties to add the simple conversion as the match approached the 20 minute mark.
Ponty were reduced to 14 players after 22 minutes when loosehead prop Ben Stephens was shown a yellow card following a high tackle.
From the penalty and a kick to the corner, the home side’s hooker Joel Gilbert was at the back of the rolling maul and with the assistance of forwards and backs adding their weight, he scored in the corner. The conversion from fly-half Simon Veall hit the post.
With wing Louis Rochefort-Shugar being taken off so Ponty could accommodate a full front row, the hosts struck for their second try by using the space out wide that had been vacated by the yellow card substitute.
A cross-field kick from Veall bounced kindly to Aneurin Paterson who did well to beat two Ponty defenders to score in what was a costly yellow card period for the visitors who had conceded 10 points, but still let 17-10.
With Rochefort-Shugar and Ben Stephens returning their side to a full complement of players, a chance for the visitors came through the rolling maul but after the first attempt brought a penalty, a second rolling maul attempt saw Ponty cross the line but the ball was held up following some stern Newbridge defence.
In the half’s final act, wing Cian Jones crossed for the hosts after a grubber kick from fullback Robbie Turley caused chaos in the Ponty backfield, the ball was re-gathered, recycled and this resulted in a simple finish for the Newbridge left wing. The conversion from Veall went wide as Ponty held on to a 2-point halftime lead at 17-15.
HALF TIME – Newbridge 15-17 Pontypridd
The home side had scored the last 15 points of the match and the momentum was with them during the final 20 minutes of the first half. But Ponty came out for the second period determined to wrestle back the initiative.
A turnover from Louis Rochefort-Shugar gave the visitors a platform, and a high tackle on Ioan Evans gave Ponty the first points of the second half when the centre got back on his feet to kick the three points.
Ponty’s second visit to the 22 in the half almost brought a third try, with a spectacular pass through the legs almost putting Iwan Griffith over for the score, but the outside centre was deemed to have dropped the ball over the tryline.
Evans kicked his third penalty of the match after a high tackle on Joe Miles following a goal line drop out, the score now 23-15 to Pontypridd on the hour mark.
Newbridge were piling on the pressure as the game entered the final 10 minutes, and they were camped on the Ponty tryline after two penalties from the rolling maul, but on their third effort they attempted to play but Ponty forced a ball spill.
With the Valley Commandos wanting to clear their lines, a scuffle between Mitch Barnard and Newbridge replacement Ross Edwards saw referee Ben Connor reach into his pocket for a second time and the pair were sent to the sinbin.
Eventually Ponty crossed for their third try through second row Ieuan Davies who powered over following some sustained Pontypridd pressure.
The home side picked up a well-deserved bonus point for scoring four tries through inside centre Josh Thomas after they exposed an overlap in the Ponty defence, but they just fell short of losing bonus point range.
Despite a spell of possession in the game’s final play, there was no four-try bonus point for Pontypridd when Lucus Welch booted the ball out of play for his side to claim an important four match point victory.
Ponty head to Narberth in their next Welsh Premiership fixture on February 1st, before returning to Sardis Road the following week when they welcome Cross Keys in a rescheduled fixture in the league on Friday 7th.
FULL TIME – Newbridge 22-30 Pontypridd (25/1/2025)
Match report – Iestyn Thomas
PONTYPRIDD –
15. Dale Stuckey (Oli Shepherd). 14. Joe Davies. 13. Iwan Griffith. 12. Ioan Evans. 11. Louis Rochefort-Shugar (George Thorrington). 10. Jaydan Pugh. 9. Joel Raikes (Lucus Welch).
1. Ben Stephens (Morgan Bosanko). 2. Rob Jones. 3. Garyn Daniel (Kian Mattravers). 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Ieuan Davies (Lloyd Jones). 6. Kristian Parker. 7. Cally James (c). 8. Joe Miles.
Subs: 16. Jeff Young. 17. Kian Mattravers. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Lloyd Jones. 20. George Thorrington. 21. Lucus Welch. 22. Jacob Symes. 23. Oli Shepherd.
Tries: Ioan Evans, Joe Davies, Ieuan Davies
Conversions: Ioan Evans x 2, Dale Stuckey
Penalties: Ioan Evans x 3
Yellow Cards: Ben Stephens, Mitch Barnard
NEWBRIDGE –
15. Robbie Turley. 14. Aneurin Paterson. 13. Sam Watkins (c). 12. Josh Thomas. 11. Cian Jones. 10. Simon Veall. 9. Iestyn Martin-Lloyd.
1. Gareth Young. 2. Joel Gilbert. 3. Owen Hatherill. 4. Lloyd Ford. 5. Gavin McDonnell. 6. Garin Price. 7. Luke Morgan. 8. Michael Preece.
Subs: 16. Stuart Vokes. 17. Geraint Evans. 18. Michael Kavanagh. 19. Jakob Duffy. 20. Ross Edwards. 21. Matthew Davies. 22. Reegan Davies. 23. Eamonn Rees.
Tries: Joel Gilbert, Aneurin Paterson, Cian Jones, Josh Thomas
Conversion: Eamonn Rees
Yellow Card: Ross Edwards
Referee: Ben Connor
Assistant Referee/Third Official: Julian Smith
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