Pontypridd 83-8 Glamorgan Wanderers

An early exchange of penalties between Ponty outside half Dean Gunter and his opposite number David Lakin drew the scores level and gave no indication of the one sided encounter in store.

Pontypridd were hammering the gain line, tearing into the visitors’ defence, with full back David Gratton almost going over in the corner. Pressure told as flanker Darren Waters sniped over for a try from a five metre scrum, the score converted by Gunter. The home team were confidently claiming the restarts, edging the set pieces and were rampant in the loose. From another close range scrum Ponty number 8 Brendan Lyons was driven over for a try, again converted by Gunter.

Dominating the contest, Ponty now stepped up a gear to cut loose, centre Dafydd Lockyer charging through for a try converted by Gunter, before a fine support move was rounded off with a try for flanker Jake Thomas, harvesting a bonus point for Pontypridd and an interval lead of 29pts to 3.

The second half got off to an explosive start, Ponty intercepting deep in their own half, flanker Waters motoring upfield and replacement Adam Thomas up in support to score a try which was improved by Gunter’s conversion.

Ponty were by now hitting top gear, playing an exhilarating brand of total rugby, a superb flowing move down the flank culminating in a try scored by full back Gratton and converted from the touchline by Gunter. The pattern of the game was for Ponty to wrestle possession in the loose before cutting loose with a series of dynamic attacks, with tries coming in quick succession for Adam Thomas, Dean Gunter and David Gratton, the first two converted by Gunter.

As Adam Thomas rounded off another superb handling move with a try, once more converted by Gunter, a rout was on the cards, but the Wanderers then making a rare foray into the home twenty-two for back rower Jan Botes to claim a consolation try.

Normal service was resumed as Ponty scrum half Kristian Baller took a quick tap penalty to dart in for a try, converted by Gunter. Pontypridd continued to advance with pace and guile right to the death, centre Dafydd Lockyer bursting through for a twelfth and final try, the conversion from Gunter bringing up an emphatic score-line of 83pts to 8.

Pontypridd

15.David Gratton. 14.Gareth Wyatt. 13.Dafydd Lockyer (Simon Humberstone). 12.Gary Williams (Adam Thomas). 11.Owen Williams (Garyn Lucas).

1.Stuart Williams (Ken Knaggs). 2.Tom Hetherington. 3.Phil Osborne. 4.Craig Locke (Chris Dicomidis / Huw Dowden). 5.Ryan Savage. 6.Jake Thomas. 7.Darren Waters (Wayne O’Connor). 8.Brendan Lyons.

“Golden Bob” man of the match: - Darren Waters

Scorers: