The Western Mail

BRIDGEND were quite outstanding in the way they completely dominated defending champions Newport to reel off their seventh consecutive Premiership win.

Beaten in all departments of the game - scrum, line-out and loose - the Black and Ambers went down to their heaviest league defeat at the hands of swift, well-organised and hard-nosed opponents.

The Bridgend coaching duo of Chris Stephens and Paul Williams must take a lot of credit for the air of confidence and enjoyment running through the team.

"We put in our best performance of the season," said Stephens. "We never allowed them any kind of platform in tight or loose and developed our own play with a composure that is growing by the minute."

Opposite number Dai Rees did not disagree.

"We have no complaints as we were outplayed in every facet by a side that will take some stopping if they can keep up this quality. They were far hungrier on the day and had a number of players who impressed hugely" explained Rees.

Prop Phil Booth was a rock at the scrum and thundered about in the loose, while locks Nathan Strong and skipper Mike Powell won the line-out and maul battle.

Dean Fitzgerald at No 8 and openside flanker Chris Davies, astute and intelligent readers of the game as well as abrasive influences, ruled the open spaces throughout, winning every 50-50 ball with all-consuming ease.

Behind, scrum-half Nicky Griffiths mixed his game wonderfully and linked up well with his old partner at Brynteg CS Gareth David, while full-back Anthony Carter threatened all day with his leggy bursts.

Newport were a shadow of the side that won last year's Premiership, having neither the urgency nor determination to slip the Bridgend bonds and had to rely on individual performers to save themselves from a hiding.

Skipper and lock Matthew Veater, plus back-rowers Sam Waldron and Rhys Jones defended dourly up front, full-back Ricky Williams tried to counter often poor ball and Richard Payne made some headway in the centre.

But the five tries to nil scoreline says much about the Bridgend dominance which began with a solo try by David and a rumbling close-range effort by the pack for Chris Davies to get the touchdown.

Bridgend, 12-0 up, shut out Newport completely after the break with Fitzgerald, Davies and Booth in compelling form..

A Carter "garryowen," a rampage by Booth and quick transfers gave Carter the chance to put wing Neil Dixon over and it got better when a touchline burst from wing Grant Epton, supported by Carter and Powell, got David his second try.

Newport were ragged and many home hands gave replacement prop Lee Manning the simple task of dabbing the ball down for a try which was converted from the muddy touchline by David for a 14-point tally

The standing ovation that the near 1,000 crowd gave Bridgend was a fitting tribute to the excellence of the home effort.

Played out in poor conditions, the game struggled to achieve any momentum, with handling errors rife during the opening exchanges. It was a penalty kicked by home outside half Byron Hayward which broke the deadlock, with eight minutes gone. In defiance of the greasy conditions, Ponty tried to string together some phases of support play, but foiled by the odd inevitable handling error. A solid scrum and line out at least gave Ponty a platform from which to advance, but their initiative offset by the long range clearance kicks of Rowles and Hayward for the opposition.

The Ebbw forwards put together some close range shunts upfield, allowing Hayward to slot over another penalty from in front of the posts. With the wind at his back, Hayward then stepped up to launch another penalty between the posts, from a longer range, to give Ebbw Vale a nine point advantage. Driving on from line out possession, Ponty took play into the home twenty-two, Ebbw prop Ben Coutts sin binned for killing the ball, and Dai Flanagan converting the ensuing penalty for Ponty. Spurning further opportunities to kick for goal into the wind, Ponty drove forwards with some commendable support play, winger James Thomas spilling the ball with the line in his sights.

The visitors remained in attacking mode, positive in their endeavours to run the ball, but still guilty of knock-on’s and of yielding the ball in contact. Ponty’s momentum took them right up to the home line, applying concerted pressure, but all to no avail. Ebbw in turn struck back with an injury time offensive, breaching the Ponty midfield defence for full back James Rowles to slice through for a try, converted by Hayward, giving the home team an interval advantage of 16p pts to 3.

Much effort and bluster from both teams at the start of the second period came to nothing, the game bogged down in the cloying mud. A substitution saw Ben Phillips coming on for Duane Goodfield as Ponty made inroads into the home half, but failing to hold on to the ball long enough to threaten. A charge down and chase by no 8 Dan Godfrey gave the visitors some impetus in attack, but their continuity once more interrupted by a knock-on.

A second yellow card offence saw Ebbw prop Coutts sent off, as Ponty continued to press forwards, but still lacking the killer instinct required. A series of close range charges took Ponty upfield, but as soon as they released the ball wide, their flow stemmed by another handling error. Still rejecting any offers of a kick at goal, Ponty plugged away in attack, patiently playing through many phases. A lengthy period of pressure finally gained reward as lock Dale McIntosh picked up and charged over for a try, the score converted by Dai Flanagan. Launching a counter offensive from deep, Ponty stepped up a gear with a flowing support move, finished off with a try in the corner for winger James Thomas, narrowing the scoreline deficit to 16 pts to 15.

With ten minutes remaining and all now to play for, Ponty took up the initiative, a storming run down the flank by Dan Godfrey registering another well taken try. Holding a near monopoly of possession, Ponty were now in the ascendancy, a series of mauls and strong scrummages keeping them in forward motion. A mid distance penalty kicked by Dai Flanagan was just reward for Ponty’s efforts, the Valley Commandos finishing the game in dominant mood.

Aggressive in their endeavours to battle for possession in the loose, Ponty saw centre Dafydd Lockyear going desperately close to scoring in the corner, before Craig Hughes came on as replacement for Wayne O’Connor. The visitors continued to hold the upper hand, keeping play well up in the home half, as Sam Walsh came on for the injured Chris Martenko. The final whistle blew on what ultimately turned out to be another good day’s work for Ponty, claiming a valuable away victory by 16 pts to 23.

Pontypridd:

15.Morgan Stoddart. 14.James Thomas. 13.Tom Riley. 12.Dafydd Lockyear. 11.Richard Fussell. 10.Dai Flanagan. 9.Gareth Jones.

1.Gerald Cox. 2.Duane Goodfield (Ben Phillips). 3.Ryan Harford. 4.Dale McIntosh – cpt. 5.Chris Martenko (Sam Walsh). 6.Wayne O’Connor (Craig Hughes). 7.Rhys Shellard. 8.Dan Godfrey.