Pontypridd 17-8 Swansea

A tense cup tie was in prospect as Pontypridd faced up to an in form Swansea team at Sardis Road, and so it proved as the contest remained in the balance right up to its dramatic final seconds.

Ponty drew first blood courtesy of a Dean Gunter penalty kicked with just three minutes gone. The home side were solid and inventive, but  lacking the clinical edge to finish off their plays, and two long range Gunter penalty attempts just short, one rebounding off the cross bar. For all their endeavours, bossing the set pieces and the loose and enjoying a far greater territorial dominance, Ponty remained only three points to the good going into the second quarter.

A rare Swansea incursion into the home half resulted in a penalty which fly half James Dixon successfully converted, but Ponty striking back immediately as centre Adam Thomas produced a clinical break. Gavin Dacey up in support to cross for a try which Gunter converted. An interval lead of 10pts to 3 was scant reward for Pontypridd’s overall dominance.

Swansea came out fired up for the second half, their pack mauling upfield and applying concerted pressure on a hard grafting home defence. The ball was eventually spun wide for visitors’ no 8 Steffan Jones to score in the corner. The game was settling into a stalemate with both sets of forwards slogging it out, and setting the platform for a series of attacks and counter attacks from both sets of backs. There were turnovers, breaks and counter breaks with the contest balanced on a knife edge.

Going into the last ten minutes Ponty soaked up a good deal of pressure with some sterling defensive work, but habitually putting themselves on the back foot with their poor kicking options. A crucial breakthrough came as flanker Darren Waters seized a loose ball at the tail of a line out, his break supported by Nathan Strong and finished off with a dart to the line by scrum half Baller. An excellent touchline conversion from Gunter sealed the win for Pontypridd by 17pts to 8, emerging as worthy victors from a typically tense and hard fought cup battle.

Pontypridd:

15.Matthew Nuthall. 14.Chris Clayton. 13.Gavin Dacey. 12.Adam Thomas. 11.Lewis Williams. 10.Dean Gunter. 9.Kristian Baller.

1.Ken Knaggs (Stuart Williams). 2.Huw Dowden. 3.Ryan Harford. 4.Grant Harrington. 5.Ryan Savage. 6.Chris Dicomidis. 7.Darren Waters. 8.Nathan Strong – cpt.

“Golden Bob” man of the match: Ryan Harford

Scorers: