ABERAVON jumped over Bridgend in the Premier Division after an amazing match that saw eight tries scored.

Bridgend's great fightback was marred by referee Hugh Watkins sending off prop forward Gareth Alexander in the final minute.

Aberavon made an astonishing start with three tries in 11 minutes from forwards Anthony Edwards, Richard Morris and Darryl Thomas.

At 21-0 down, Bridgend battled back and flanker Adam Whitney scored a try, but Aberavon gained a penalty try to lead 31-8 at the interval.

But Bridgend hit back after the break, centre Roger Davies and skipper Mike Powell bagging tries to set up a storming finish.

Defying the cold conditions, Ponty began in positive mood, putting width on the ball to apply considerable pressure in the visitors’ half. Their reward came in the way of a well drilled penalty converted by outside half Dai Flanagan. A full eight minutes passed before Llandovery made their first meaningful advance into the home half, but a powerful driving maul from a line out take going all the way to the try line for flanker Eifion Gwynne to claim a score which was duly converted by full back Tomos Marks.

A scrappy period of play ensued, with both teams guilty of committing basic errors, and neither able to dominate, but Ponty just edging the contest territorially. With Llandovery tending to stray off side, Ponty took advantage through another successful Dai Flanagan penalty. The Drovers responded with a show of attacking prowess, driving into the home twenty-two, but coming up against a fully committed Ponty defence. The game was fast and loose, unstructured, with both sides giving as good as they got going into the second quarter. The preferred tactic of Llandovery was to launch "ball up the jumper" mauls which they executed to good effect, but giving up their initiative through a persistent tendency to infringe, their flanker Eifion Gwynne sin binned and Dai Flanagan converting the ensuing penalty for Pontypridd.

A snap offensive by Llandovery gave Tomos Marks the chance to slot over another penalty, edging his team back into the lead. A sniping break from scrum half Wayne Evans took Ponty right up to the visitors’ line, the home side showing their frustration at their opponents’ continued spoiling tactics, but at least putting points on the board, once more through a penalty kicked by Dai Flanagan. The home team however again carelessly threw away their advantage, conceding a penalty which Tomos Marks converted for the Drovers, sending Ponty into the interval trailing by 12 pts to 13.

Ponty drew first blood in the second half, in emphatic fashion, as Dai Flanagan hoisted a deft cross kick upon which winger Darren Berry pounced to claim a try, superbly converted from a wide angle by Flanagan. The home team were keen to up the tempo of the game, with their back row foragers Evans and Powell harassing their opponents remorselessly. Lee Evans then departed injured, replaced by Chris Martenko, as Ponty once more yielded their initiative through unforced errors made. Llandovery were able to take full advantage of the home team’s failings, Tomos Marks drilling over another penalty to narrow the scoreline to 19 pts to 16. Ponty responded with an attack at pace, Matthew Nuthall slicing through the visitors’ midfield defence, but Dai Flanagan then off target with a kickable penalty.

Gerald Cox now came on for Stuart Williams, with fifty-seven minutes gone of an evenly balanced contest. Taking top of the line out ball, Ponty set up an effective drive, allowing hooker Leighton Davies to burrow through for a well taken try, converted by Flanagan. The home team were now injecting pace into their play, always eager to counter attack, and setting off on another foray up the flank led by hooker Davies. The ball was eventually laid back for outside half Flanagan to launch a majestic drop goal between the posts.

The game was still being played at a frenetic pace, Llandovery setting off on a counter attack, the ball worked wide for outside half Gareth Morgan to claim a controversial try, seeming to have first hit the corner flag. Ponty’s response was emphatic, claiming good line out ball, followed by a crash ball run from centre Dafydd Lockyer. The ball was recycled and whipped out through swift hands for Darren Berry to claim a try, the touchline conversion added by Flanagan. As Paul Matthews came on for Darren Berry, the game continued a fast and furious affair right to the end, both sides going at each other hammer and tongs. Stuart Williams had to return to action, in place of the injured Scott Roberts, and with Richard Langmead coming on for Dai Flanagan, going into injury time. The game ended in near farce as Llandovery outside half Gareth Morgan claimed a try in the Ponty goal area whilst looking a good five yards off side, Tomos Marks converting with the last kick of a game. Thus ended a strange game of rugby which had lacked any pattern throughout, but in which Ponty at least claimed the spoils by 36 pts to 28.