Pontypridd RFC 73 : 12 Cross Keys RFC – Match Report
Pontypridd 73 v Cross Keys 12
Sat 27th October 2018, 14:30, Sardis Road Principality Premiership
Pontypridd ripped up the history books of tight games with Cross Keys and wrote a new chapter with an 11 try hammering over the Gwent side.
Alex Webber got the points tally started with a try inside 45 seconds after good work from Dafydd Lockyer and Cameron Lewis in midfield. Having converted the tricky conversion, fly-half Ben Jones was instrumental in setting up Pontypridd’s second of the afternoon with a beautiful missed pass to Alex Knott who put fullback Dale Stuckey over in the corner.
Even with the backs enjoying plenty of ball out wide, the forwards decided to take matters into their own hands with Steffan Jenkins and Gareth Smith adding their names to the scoresheet to secure a bonus point for the home side, inside 22-minutes. But, with Pontypridd camped in the Cross Keys half, an interception try by Rory Budina gave the traveling supporters something to shout about as the winger sprinted 85-metres to put his side on the scoreboard.
Budinas’ score didn’t deter Justin Burnell’s men though. Hooker Geraint Clarke’s superb interplay with Cameron Lewis gave the front rower his first five pointer of the season, before lock Sean Moore glided under the posts to wrap up Pontypridd scoring for the first half.
A youthful Cross Keys side showed promise at the start of the second half, and were gifted another interception try as Budina scooted over for his second try after a wayward pass by Alex Knott. Unfortunately for Keys, that was as good as it got. After his mistake, Knott more than made up for the interception pass with a try of his own after a mazy run by Webber.
Moments later Knott was involved again in what could well be a try of the season contender. After a neat grubber kick through by Ben Jones, the Pontypridd centre picked the ball off his laces, threw the ball out the back door to Webber who slalomed through the Cross Keys defence before offloading to Dale Stuckey, who got his second of the match.
Things only got worse for Keys with 10 minutes left as replacement prop Scott Evans was given a yellow card after giving away his sides 12th penalty of the match. To add insult to injury, Pontypridd managed a further three tries in the dying minutes of the game.
Scrum-half Huw Rees got the first of the three tires with a score from no more than three-yards before Wales under 18 product Ioan Davies slid in for his first try for Pontypridd. Davies’ back row partner Alun Lawrence rounded the scoring off, giving his side a 73-12 victory that will resonate around the Principality Premiership this evening.
Golden Bob Man of The Match: Ben Jones Pontypridd:
15.Dale Stuckey. 14. Alex Webber. 13.Alex Knott. 12.Dafydd Lockyer – cpt. (Lewis K Williams) 11.Cameron Lewis. 10.Ben Jones. 9.Dan Blacker (Huw Rees)
1.Corey Domachowski (Huw Owen). 2.Geraint Clarke (Robert Jones). 3.Gareth Smith (Joe Popple). 4.Sean Moore. 5.Chris Dicomidis (Ioan Davies). 6.Alun Lawrence (Lloyd Evans). 7.Morgan Sieniawski. 8.Steffan Jenkins (Lloyd Evans)
Tries: Webber (1, 50), Stuckey (5, 51), Jenkins (12), Smith (22), Clarke (31), Moore (39), Rees (75), Davies (78), Lawrence (80)
Cons: Jones (2, 6, 23, 32, 40, 51, 52, 76, 79)
Match Report
Nathan Parker – Pontypridd RFC Media Team
