Ponty Youth battling for promotion

On Saturday 5^th April Pontypridd Youth (seniors) entertained fellow promotion challengers Pentyrch in a key league fixture for both sides. 

Ponty had won the corresponding away fixture earlier in the year, taking Pentyrch's impressive 18 month unbeaten league record in the process so the visitors were in determined mood to redress the defeat, particularly after their promotion hopes had been hit by a shock defeat to St Peters the previous week. This was going to be a key "six pointer", and after Ponty's recent agonising defeat to Treorchy, neither side could afford to lose. 

Ponty played into a stiff breeze in the first half, but were able to use their powerful forwards to keep Pentyrch pinned in their own half, despite the wind advantage. Some of the support running and off loads from the home team were of the highest order and Pentyrch were limited to a couple of chances from breakaways after turnovers. 

Ponty were dominant at line out and scrum, and halfbacks Studley and Smith were controlling the game impressively, varying play between the forwards and backs. Under this sort of pressure a try was inevitable, and it came after a brilliant move from Lewis Smith, who used decoy runners to great effect to bamboozle the Pentyrch midfield, before unleashing full back Rhys Simms who raced through untouched from 30 metres for a great try which he also converted, giving Ponty a 7 point lead at the interval. 

The second half started in similar fashion to the first. Ponty were now totally in control and it was only the heroic defending of Pentyrch that stopped them adding further scores. For ten minutes Ponty were camped deep in the Pentyrch 22, but despite a number of close range scrums, the home team unable to ground the ball, and each attack thwarted. 

Eventually pressure told and after a brilliant break by Sam Studley,Lewis Smith and Dan Dearden,  Ponty were awarded a simple close range penalty for Simms in front of the posts to stretch the lead to 10 - 0. Pentyrch were tiring badly and with the wind against them, it was only courageous defence that was now keeping Ponty out, before  Simms stepped up to kick another penalty to increase the Ponty lead. 

As the game entered it's final minutes, Pentyrch threw everything at Ponty in an attempt to salvage a score, however the attack was stopped dead by impressive flanker Aaron Atkins, who tackled and robbed the ball carrier before launching a counter attack of his own. The game ended with Pontypridd securing a well earned victory by 13pts to  0. 

This was a must win game for both sides, and gaining the double over a spirited Pentyrch side was a real achievement for young Ponty in their quest for promotion. Both sides had cause to celebrate back at the club when the news broke that title rivals Treorchy suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Llantwit Major, and now with the season entering it's final four weeks, any one of five sides can still win this fantastically competitive division.