Tonmawr 6-46 Pontypridd

It was a quickly taken tap penalty and break from scrum half Rhys Downes that ignited Ponty’s attacking play, taking the game to their opponents from the off.

Working off a solid forward platform the visitors continued to press forward, and were rewarded after eleven minutes as winger Lewis Williams glided over for a try right in the corner. Moving up another gear, Ponty continued in attacking mode, centre Adam Thomas breaking through and releasing Lewis Williams for another touchdown, this time converted from a wide angle by outside half Dean Gunter.

The game had been played almost exclusively in the home half, and it was against the run of play that Tonmawr opened their account courtesy of a Luke Richards penalty with twenty-five minutes gone. Ponty responded with a phase of pressure, and with the home pack serially straying off-side, Gunter hoisting over two penalty kicks in quick succession to extend his side’s lead.

In worsening conditions Luke Richards put over another penalty for Tonmawr, but their hopes of a comeback dented as lock Hywel Davies was dispatched to the sin bin. The first half ended with Ponty once again resurgent, lock Cory Hill claiming a try from a line out drive with Gunter’s conversion bringing up an interval score-line of 6pts to 25.

The second half commenced in steady driving rain, Ponty weathering a spell of pressure before breaking upfield, a Cory Hill kick and chase and a Chris Clayton break giving them momentum. Dominant in the set pieces and always looking to move the ball wide, Ponty were well on top but the contest becoming more and more of a stop start affair dominated by the referee’s whistle, and with opposing flankers Wayne O’Connor of Pontypridd and Mike Thomas of Tonmawr both yellow carded.

The visitors finally managed to build up momentum through a Matthew Nuthall charge, and outside half Gunter dummying over for a try following a siege on the home line, a score which he also converted. The Ponty scrum once more dominated, pushing their opponents off the ball, with flanker Chris Dicomidis going close to scoring in the corner. Intense pressure finally told as another forceful five metre scrum gave replacement scrum half Gareth Williams the opportunity to dart in for a try, converted by another replacement, outside half Lewis Williams.

Although having skipper Chris Dicomidis yellow carded, Ponty were by now well in the ascendancy going into the final ten minutes of play. Driving remorselessly into the home twenty-two, the Ponty pack crashed as an unit over the line for replacement no8 Owen Sheppeard to claim a try, the conversion from Williams sealing an emphatic bonus point victory by 6pts to 46.

Pontypridd:

15.Matthew Nuthall. 14.Lewis I Williams (Gareth Wyatt). 13.Gavin Dacey. 12.Adam Thomas. 11.Chris Clayton. 10.Dean Gunter (Lewis K Williams). 9.Rhys Downes (Gareth Williams).

1.Stuart Williams (Chris Phillips). 2.Huw Dowden (Tom Hetherington). 3.Pat Palmer. 4.Cory Hill. 5.Ryan Savage. 6.Chris Dicomidis. 7.Wayne O’Connor (Calum Thomas). 8.Dan Godfrey (Owen Sheppeard).

Scorers: