Merthyr 3-27 Pontypridd

With winger Owen Williams expertly claiming the kick off Ponty got off to a good start, setting up camp in home territory. It was Merthyr however who took the lead, a foray upfield giving outside half Neil Burnett the chance to kick a straight forward penalty with nine minutes gone.

Spurning kicks at goal and working off a solid forward platform Ponty set up a drive for hooker Huw Dowden to claim a deserved try. There were errors committed in the greasy conditions, but the game developing into a physical and competitive encounter.

Excellent link play by Pontypridd resulted in a fine try scored by full back David Gratton and converted by Dean Gunter with nineteen minutes gone. Persistent pressure from the visitors enabled Gratton once more to touch down, and despite facing a spirited comeback from the Ironmen, Ponty holding out for an interval lead of 3pts to 17.

Numerous substitutions made, and a spate of injuries, took much of the momentum out of the game as the second half progressed. It was a trademark weaving run from wing Lewis Williams which regained the initiative for Ponty, with Matthew Nuthall going close to scoring.

Merthyr in turn enjoyed periods of pressure, before Ponty regained the ascendancy, sending wing Lewis Williams over for a try.  A dynamic forward drive then culminated in a debut try for prop Will Griff John, and with David Gratton going desperately close to claiming a hat-trick score but knocking on in the process, Ponty finished up well worthy of their victory by 3pts to 27.

Pontypridd:

15.David Gratton. 14.Owen Williams (Matthew Nuthall). 13.Adam Thomas (Dafydd Lockyer). 12.Dafydd Lockyer (Gary Williams). 11.Lewis Williams. 10.Dean Gunter (Lewis Williams). 9.Lewis Jones (Garyn Lucas).

1.Phil Osborne (Ryan Harford). 2.Huw Dowden (Tom Hetherington). 3.Will Griff  John. 4.Craig Locke (Matthew Screech). 5.Ryan Savage. 6.Ed Siggery (Jake Thomas). 7.Calum Thomas (Darren Waters). 8.Brendan Lyons.