By Zippy
December 13 2004

Review of the action in the Welsh Premiership this weekend. Pontypridd suffered a defeat in Camarthen, it leaves them well below halfway in the table, they will need some big performances in the games coming up.

Carmathen 28 Ponty 13

By www.PontypriddRFC.co.uk

Kicking for field position, and establishing a solid forward platform, the Quins reaped an early reward through a penalty converted by outside half Craig Evans. The home team continued to drive upfield, a kick and chase resulting in a try for winger Anthony Rees, the score improved by Craig Evans’ conversion, with ten minutes gone.

Ponty were so far struggling to achieve a platform from which to attack, failing to breach the gain line in an error strewn period of play. Continuous infringing by the home team resulted in a yellow card shown to winger Anthony Rees, but the ensuing penalty attempt from Jason Pocock drifting wide of the target. Turning over possession, Ponty at last broke out of their fettles, a fine passing move culminating in a try for outside half Richard Langmead, and converted by Pocock. Now seeing more of the ball, Ponty were edging into contention, although still not firing on all cylinders. The Quins struck back with a forceful counter attack, breaking some weak tackling in the Ponty midfield and sending winger Jamie Davies over for a try in the corner.

Ponty now tried hard to generate some phases of support play, but too often foiled by handling errors and miss-directed passes, the contest interrupted by the frequent sounding of the referee’s whistle. With prop Geraint Liddon sin binned for handling on the floor, Ponty were now in reverse gear, and conceded another penalty from the boot of home outside half Evans. Ponty in turn retaliated with a charge upfield, rounded off with a wide angle penalty kicked by Jason Pocock. With Gerald Cox on as temporary replacement for scrummaging duties, in place of Mark Lewis, Ponty launched a late offensive led by the direct running of centre Dafydd Lockyear and finished off with a penalty kicked by full back Pocock, taking Ponty into the interval trailing by 18pts to 13.

With Geraint Liddon and Mark Lewis making early second half returns to action, Ponty attempted to generate some momentum off their line out possession, but lacking the killer instinct in attack.  Following up on a rolling maul, Ponty then spread the ball wide, cutting into the home twenty-two, but despite a sustained period of pressure, crucially failing to press home for a score. Conceding ground in the scrums, Ponty back tracked into their own half, as Lloyd Warner came on in place of Jason Pocock, with fifty-six minutes gone of what was by now a pretty scrappy encounter.

Maintaining their forward dominance, Carmarthen turned pressure into points through a penalty successfully converted by Craig Evans. The home team were wearing down their opponents with their pack’s power play, setting up camp in the Ponty twenty-two. A double substitution saw Darren Berry on for Richard Fussell and Gerald Cox for Geraint Liddon, as Ponty sat back defending a torrid period of pressure near their own line. Further substitutions followed with Wayne O’Connor on for Grant Harrington and Ben Phillips for Duane Goodfield, as Ponty strove hard to gain a foot hold in the home half, but their creative endeavours spoiled by handling errors.

The boot of Quins outside half Craig Evans continued to be influential, his line kicking pinning Ponty back in their own half, now into the final ten minutes of play. A series of short charges kept the Quins in forward gear, replacement Ricky Davies burrowing over for a close range try, converted by Evans. With Rhys Long on in place of Dan Godfrey, Ponty launched a late offensive, making a rare incursion into the home twenty-two, a full quota of subs used as Gareth Jones came on for Paul John. Ponty continued to press forwards with intent, a yellow card dished out to Carmarthen flanker Gareth Williams for infringing, but no consolation score forthcoming. In the descending gloom, the final whistle blew on a contest where Ponty had been out-gunned, and suffering defeat by 28 pts to 13.

Pontypridd:

15.Jason Pocock (Lloyd Warner). 14.Chris Clayton. 13.Tom Riley. 12.Dafydd Lockyear. 11.Richard Fussell (Darren Berry). 10.Richard Langmead. 9.Paul John. cpt. (Gareth Jones).

1.Stuart Williams. 2.Duane Goodfield (Ben Phillips). 3.Geraint Liddon (Gerald Cox). 4.Chris Martenko. 5.Grant Harrington (Wayne O’Connor). 6.Mark Lewis (Gerald Cox temp). 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Dan Godfrey (Rhys Long).

Carmarthen		(18)28-13(13)		Pontypridd	FT
Tries: Rees Davies 2				Tries: Flanagan
Cons: Evans 2				Cons: Pocock
Pens: Evans 3				Pens: Pocock 2