By Zippy
November 4 2004

Review of last nights action in the Welsh Premiership. Pontypridd and Bridgend both lost in a bad night for the teams. For reports and score details read on.

Pontypridd 7 Newport 23

www.Pontypridd.co.uk

Ponty gained the edge in a fast and loose opening to the game, outside half Richard Langmead just off target with a speculative drop goal attempt. As Newport edged their way into the home half, their outside half Daniel Griffiths hoisted over a forty metre penalty to open the scoring with eight minutes gone. The visitors now had the bit between their teeth, spreading the ball wide to stretch the Ponty cover, before eventually settling for another Daniel Griffiths penalty from in front of the posts.

Ponty’s attempts to attack in short shunts around the fringes of ruck and maul were bottled up by the Newport defence, the home team so far failing to utilise their share of possession. A pick up and charge by no 8 Dan Godfrey set Ponty off on a concerted phase of attack, taking play right up to the visitors’ line and desperately close to scoring. Recycling the ball from numerous ruck situations, Ponty kept pressurising the Newport twenty-two, but unable to make a breakthrough. Patience was finally rewarded as winger Richard Fussell made a jinking break through the heart of the visitors’ defence to claim a try, converted from in front of the posts by Langmead.

Ponty now looked to step up a gear, their forward drives once more taking them well up into their opponents’ half. A snap counter offensive by Newport, making use of a generous interpretation of the advantage law by referee Nigel Owens, saw full back Ricky Williams darting over for a try, converted by Daniel Griffiths. That was enough to send Ponty into the interval trailing by 7pts to 13 despite having enjoyed most of the territorial advantage during the first forty minutes.

Following a scrappy opening to the second period, Ponty sat back to defend resolutely against some concerted Newport pressure. The boot of scrum half Paul John gave the home team some respite, but unable so far to gain a foot hold in the visitors’ half. In fairness to Ponty they were striving hard to break the gain line, willing to spread the ball wide but unable to put their attackers into space. Another long range touch finder from Paul John once more gave Ponty a platform in their opponents’ twenty-two, but still unable to maintain that position.

A substitution saw Dale McIntosh coming on for Grant Harrington, now into the final quarter of the game. Events came to an abrupt halt as the lights went out on Sardis Road, the game unable to continue in the gloom. Following a lengthy delay, normal conditions were restored and play resumed. It was Newport who looked sharpest out of the blocks, their forwards ploughing into the home twenty-two, but stopped short by some aggressive Ponty defending.

The home team booted their way back upfield, a long range penalty attempt from Richard Langmead just dipping under the crossbar. Ponty continued to take the game to their opponents with great gusto, their hard rucking play rewarded with a penalty opportunity, but the kick pulled wide by outside half Langmead. Possession and territory were all in Ponty’s favour, a drive by dynamic no 8 Dan Godfrey again instigating an all out assault on the Newport line. Stuart Williams now came on in place of Gerald Cox as Ponty continued to dominate, but the clock ticking away against their efforts to salvage the game.

A late offensive by Newport resulted in a penalty award, the kick superbly converted from a wide angle by Daniel Griffiths. Newport continued to hold the upper hand, a concerted forward surge ending with a try claimed by lock Matthew Veater, the precision conversion following from Daniel Griffiths. A creditable performance by Pontypridd had again been to no avail, the final result going against them, consigned to defeat by 7pts to 23.

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Pontypridd:

15.Lloyd Warner. 14.Darren Berry. 13.Tom Riley. 12.Jason Lewis. 11.Richard Fussell. 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Paul John. cpt.

1.Gerald Cox (Stuart Williams). 2.Duane Goodfield. 3.Geraint Liddon. 4.Chris Martenko. 5.Grant Harrington (Dale McIntosh). 6.Wayne O’Connor. 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Dan Godfrey.

Pontypridd		(7)7-23(13)		Newport	FT
Tries: Fussel				Tries: Williams Veater
Cons: Langmead				Cons: Griffiths 2
				Pens: Griffiths 3

Camarthen 28 Bridgend 7

The Western Mail

AN AILING Quins side having suffered three consecutive home defeats, came bouncing back with a lively performance against a disappointing Bridgend.

Llanelli Scarlets' foreign imports, Canadian prop John Thiel and Tongan wing Aisea Havili, provided the dash for the rejuvenated home side.

Midway through the first half, the Quins finally put their passes together as they won quick ruck ball to outpace the Bridgend defence. Replacement centre James Davies injected pace into the line as he slipped a pass to fellow centre Darren Simpson who slipped a tackle to scamper over.

Fly-half Aled Thomas converted then struck a penalty from 45 metres before Bridgend struck back with a well-constructed try.

Quins were penalised at the ruck and from the resultant line-out five metres out, lock and captain Mike Powell was driven towards the line. From underneath a pile of bodies, powerful number eight Nathan Strong emerged triumphant for full-back Gareth David to convert.

Strong then became the villain early in the second-half as his high tackling of wing Anthony Rees saw fly-half Thomas dissect the post with a penalty from 35 metres.

Quins finally got the ball in space to flying Tongan wing Havili as he showed pace and power from 20 metres out to score near the corner for Thomas to convert. Thomas then struck another wide-angled penalty for the Quins as Bridgend began to tire.

Havili then turned provider with a touch-line sprint to feed centre Emyr Jones who crashed over for his 95th career league try.

Carmarthen		(10)28-7(7)		Bridgend	FT
Tries: Simpson Jones Havili				Tries: Strong
Cons: Thomas 2				Cons: David
Pens: Thomas 3