Defying the blustery conditions, Ponty set off with ball in hand to take play through numerous early phases. Their persistence in attack created an overlap for centre Dafydd Lockyer to cross for a try out wide. Bedwas in turn entered into the spirit of things, themselves launching a fluent attack to put Ponty under pressure in defence. With the visitors conceding penalties and territory, Bedwas laid siege to the Ponty line and were finally rewarded as no 8 Deri Mattravers burrowed over for a close range try.

Ponty struck back immediately, putting points on the board through a penalty kicked by outside half Richard Langmead, with thirteen minutes gone. Ponty were showing good ball retention to just edge a closely contested game, and gaining a field position for outside half Langmead to stroke over another penalty. The visitors now kept up their momentum, keeping hold of possession and again showing good support skills to plough forwards in attack. With the game being played almost exclusively in the home half, Richard Langmead was again on hand to put over a penalty to hoist Pontypridd into a lead of 5 pts to 14.

Another big charge upfield by Ponty, with locks Grant Harrington and Chris Martenko harnessing together well, gave the visitors further impetus to attack, and the scoreboard kept ticking over through another Langmead penalty, with a half hour gone. Reversing the general trend of play, Bedwas set off on a snap offensive, a controlled kick and chase instigated by Nathan Gittins resulting in a well taken try for the home full back. Bedwas now seemed to have found a new lease of life, driving hard in to the visitors’ twenty-two. Ponty in turn struck back with a fluent attacking move, with full back Jason Pocock entering the line to good effect but winger Chris Clayton having a try disallowed for a forward pass.

It was Bedwas who again seized the advantage, an interception by Gittins sending centre Andrew Harrison away on a run to the line, the score converted by outside half Andrew James. Ponty threw everything into a late offensive, with flanker Lee Evans and centre Lockyer the focus of their efforts, but all to no avail, the first half ending with the scores level, 17 pts apiece.

The second half resumed in bitterly cold conditions, still an evenly balanced affair. Both sides were more than willing to move the ball wide, showing good handling skills despite the arctic weather. With Ponty caught in possession on their own twenty-two, it was Bedwas who drew first blood, replacement outside half Tommy Price successfully converting the penalty. Ponty were now struggling to get on top of their game, beginning to make a habit of yielding up the ball in contact. Bedwas took full advantage, running in direct lines at the beleaguered visitors’ defence, and seeing centre Daniel Jones slicing through for a well taken try, the score converted by Price.

Ponty were already chasing the game, but time and again hounded out of contention by a fully committed home team, with Jason Lewis coming on as replacement for Lloyd Warner. With the visitors failing to achieve any real cohesion in attack, it was Bedwas who utilised the strong wind at their backs to remain the more dominant force. At long last Ponty launched a foray upfield, but looking far too frenetic in their efforts to make an impact, and thwarted by basic handling errors.

A double front row substitution saw Duane Goodfield on for Ben Phillips and Stuart Williams for Geraint Liddon, with sixty-six minutes gone of a contest in which Ponty were still second best, back tracking to their own twenty-two. The general pattern of play was for Ponty to graft hard to forge a path upfield, only to be undone by an inevitable knock-on, and to see Bedwas clear with their wind assisted line kicks. The visitors continued to pound away at the gain line, but looking pedestrian in their efforts and lacking any real guile in attack. Late substitutions saw Wayne O’Connor coming on for Lee Evans and Craig Hughes for Grant Harrington, as Ponty continued to run up blind alleys.

Persistence finally paid off for Pontypridd as an overlap was worked for full back Jason Pocock to cross for a try out wide. The Valleys team continued to throw everything into attack, going into injury time, but all to no avail as handling errors cost them dearly, and consigned them to defeat by 27 pts to 22.

Pontypridd:

15.Jason Pocock. 14.Chris Clayton. 13.Lloyd Warner (Jason Lewis). 12.Dafydd Lockyer. 11.Darren Berry. 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Paul John.

1.Geraint Liddon (Stuart Williams). 2.Ben Phillips (Duane Goodfield). 3.Ryan Harford. 4.Chris Martenko. 5.Grant Harrington (Craig Hughes). 6.Lee Evans (Wayne O’Connor). 7. Rhys Shellard. 8.Dan Godfrey.

Bedwas		(17)27-22(17)		Pontypridd	FT
Tries: Jones Harrison Gittings Mattravers				Tries: Lockyear Pocock
Cons: Price James
Pens: Price				Pens: Langmead 4

Welsh Premiership April 08, 2005
		P	W	D	L	PTS
1	Neath	26	22	0	4	66
2	Newport	27	21	0	6	60
3	Bridgend	27	19	0	8	54
4	Llanelli	28	17	0	11	51
5	Cross Keys	27	17	0	10	51
6	Carmarthen	25	16	1	8	49
7	Swansea	27	15	2	10	47
8	Pontypridd	28	14	1	13	43
9	Cardiff	27	14	0	13	42
10	Aberavon	25	13	0	12	39
11	Bedwas	27	12	0	15	36
12	Pontypool	28	11	1	16	34
13	Ebbw Vale	27	12	0	15	33
14	Llandovery	27	9	0	18	27
15	Caerphilly	28	6	0	22	18
16	Llanharan	28	4	1	23	13
17	Newbridge	26	4	0	22	9