Neath 23-19 Pontypridd – Match Report
It was the match of the day as Neath hosted Pontypridd at the Gnoll in a winner-takes-all cup tie and after an uncompromising battle it was the home team who took the honours courtesy of a 23pts to 19 victory.
Both sides cancelled each other out during the early exchanges, with some big hits made in defence, which along with lengthy injury delays, meant that the contest struggled to get going during its first ten minutes. Ponty were awarded a scrum penalty but the ensuing kick for the posts by Jorge Lucey drifting wide of the target. As Neath launched a big line-out drive Ponty were pinned back on their own line with hooker Connah Hughes dispatched to the sin-bin, the home pack taking full advantage by continuing to plough forwards allowing no8 Ben Williams to power over from close range, his try converted by Paul Short. The visitors instigated a snap foray spearheaded by the James brothers only for Neath to intercept and counter, once more pegging Ponty back in their own half. The host team were benefitting from numerous penalty awards, laying siege to their opponents line then moving the ball wide for replacement Ki Morgan to cut through some despairing tackles to claim a try which Short again converted.
Ponty were finally able to press forward from a penalty award and after playing through numerous phases put full back Dale Stuckey over wide out, his try going unconverted. After Neath hooker Sion Jones was yellow carded for a late tackle, Ponty attacked off a line-out platform and after making good ground were rewarded as centre Stuart Floyd-Ellis crossed from close-range, his try converted by Jorge Lucey. Just as Ponty seemed to be right back in contention they conceded crucial penalties with home outside half Paul Short converting two in succession, one from near half way to give his side an advantage of 20pts to 12 at the break.
HALF TIME: Neath 20-12 Pontypridd
Neath were once more in forward gear from the restart and once more turned pressure into points through a Paul Short penalty. The home team kept hold of possession and getting the better of the referee’s decisions, also kept a stranglehold on the game. After home winger Ki Morgan was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, Ponty played through the phases from an attacking scrum but were unable to finish off with a score. In a dogfight for supremacy the visitors then elected to kick for goal but Jorge Lucey off-target with his penalty attempt. Ponty were pounding the gain-line and were eventually rewarded as Floyd-Ellis again crossed from close range with Lucey adding the conversion. Both captains were given a talking to as tensions heightened going into the final quarter of a feisty, contentious cup tie.
Another Paul Short penalty rebounded off a post with Ponty then kicking for territory with the breeze behind them, but unable to build up any real momentum, chasing the game into its final ten minutes. Try as they might, despite instigating numerous attacks, Ponty could not make an impression on a gritty home defence, only to then give away penalties to yield their initiative. As time ran out on a hard fought encounter Pontypridd had to concede defeat by 23pts to 19 and thus relinquish their hold on the Welsh Cup.
FULL TIME: Neath 23-19 Pontypridd
Match report – Guto Davies (27/9/2025)
NEATH:
15.Iestyn Morgan. 14.Jon Bayliss (Llewellyn Hawkes). 13.Sean Wilcox. 12.Kieran Charles (Ki Morgan / Kian Jones temp). 11.Sam Harris (Jon Bayliss). 10.Paul Short. 9.Kaden Davies (Jacob Daniel).
1.Mason Morgan (Owain Watts). 2.Sion Jones (Kian Jones). 3.Marley Lovell (Tarik Dabeh). 4.Jacob Blackmore. 5.Matthew Davies. 6.Casey Williams. 7.Gethin Tremlett. 8.Ben Williams (c).
Subs: 16.Kian Jones. 17.Owain Watts. 18.Tarik Dabeh. 19.Josh Hughes. 20.Jonny Evans. 21.Jacob Daniel. 22.Ki Morgan. 23.Llewellyn Hawkes.
Tries: Ben Williams (13); Ki Morgan (22)
Cons: Paul Short (13, 23)
Pens: Paul Short (35, 40, 42)
Yellow Cards: Sion Jones (28); Ki Morgan (47)
PONTYPRIDD:
15.Dale Stuckey. 14.Joe Davies (Callum Coxley). 13.Stuart Floyd-Ellis. 12.Garyn Smith. 11.Jude Williams (Louis Tovey temp / Iwan Griffith). 10.Jorge Lucey (Jaydan Pugh). 9.Joel Raikes.
1.Ben Drew. 2.Connah Hughes (Louis Tovey). 3.Kian Mattravers. 4.Joe Miles (Mitch Barnard). 5.Kristian Parker. 6.Cai James. 7.Cally James (c). 8.Iestyn Harris (Jordan Coxley).
Subs: 16.Louis Tovey. 17.Tom Fry. 18.Dan Cotterell. 19.Mitch Barnard. 20.Jordan Coxley. 21.Callum Coxley. 22.Jaydan Pugh. 23.Iwan Griffith.
Tries: Dale Stuckey (26); Stuart Floyd-Ellis (30, 59)
Cons: Jorge Lucey (31, 60)
Yellow Card: Connah Hughes (13)
Referee: Cai Lewis AR3: Peter Mortimer
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