Cup exit for Ponty Youth

A typically tense, passionate and sometimes scrappy cup semi-final against Treorchy on Friday evening 27^th January brought a third near miss in as many games for Pontypridd Youth as they bowed out of the District Cup despite a 9-9 draw with the rule book awarding the tied game to the away team. 

The game was as tight as the score suggests with the home team failing to find a cutting edge in attack and the visitors unable to break down a faultless defence. 

The large and vocal crowd were treated to early enterprise from both teams although it was the home team that manufactured the first attack of note when winger Dale Hughes entered the line to make the space for centre Josh Edwards to stride outside his marker towards the Treorchy 22m line but when the visitors were penalised for offside the attempt at the posts was missed.  Although Pontypridd enjoyed all the territory during the first ten minutes it was Treorchy who started the scoring on their first visit to the opposition half following a powerful Treorchy scrum near the Ponty 22 that surprised the home eight and when a penalty was conceded in front of the posts the three points were gratefully taken.

The hosts responded by again controlling the majority of the possession and ground and they deservedly drew level when a textbook ankle tap by Dale Hughes on his opposite number deep in Treorchy territory was quickly exploited by breakaway Ieuan Evans who secured both the breakdown and the opportunity for James Nicholas to add to his season’s tally.  Unfortunately for the home supporters, the remainder of the half followed a disappointing pattern as a limited Treorchy attack capitalised on Pontypridd’s uncertainty behind their own 10m line to score two further penalties on the two further visits they made into the Ponty half.  Despite pulling back three points just before half-time, Pontypridd entered the break behind and when the visitors disappeared down the tunnel for their break the home team tellingly stayed out.

The choice words of the Pontypridd coaches seemed to have the desired affect as the home team re-started the game brightly.  The first decisive drive of the night by the otherwise well-marshalled Connor Ryan saw Treorchy offend at the breakdown and James Nicholas stroked over his third and final penalty of the evening from a good twenty metres out.  The score appeared to galvanise the visitors rather than the hosts and for the majority of the second period Treorchy spent their time throwing phase after phase of attacks at a Pontypridd defence that were down to fourteen men for ten minutes.  If the attacking play of Pontypridd was off-kilter there was absolutely nothing wrong with their tackling either around the fringes or out wide despite the best efforts of a bustling Treorchy midfield.  The visitors went close on a couple of occasions when a man up and although the Pontypridd youngsters managed to put some ball through the hands later in the game they remained unable to manufacture the clean break needed to secure the win.

The players and coaching team were bitterly disappointed with the end of Pontypridd’s cup run but the return to league action on the weekend provides a new focus.

Pontypridd Youth:

15. Josh Waughington  14. James Kelly  13. Josh Edwards  12. Garyn Smith  11. Dale Hughes  10. Shane Hutchinson  9. James Nicholas  1. Paul Minty  2. Nathan Evans  3. Jordan Eynon  4. Mike O’Connor 5. Tom Flye (Capt.) 6. Max Day  7. Ieuan Evans  8. Connor Ryan

Subs: 16. Chris Jones 17. Rhodri Garland  18. Jack Whelpton 19.Daniel Pritchard 20. Gavin Steele  21. Callum Reed  22. Jamie Mathers      

Scorer:

Penalties - James Nicholas (3)