Davies Puts One Over On His Old Team Mates
PONTYPRIDD 17, NEATH 12
Wales A skipper Mefin Davies scored the try that put a huge dent in his former club Neath’s hopes of challenging the top teams in the Welsh/Scottish League.
The Pontypridd hooker scored the only try of the night at Sardis Road as the home side continued their good run of form which has yet to see them lose in 2002.
Nicky Little got the scoreboard moving with a 40 metre penalty in the opening quarter and by half-time the scores were locked at 6-6 as former Ponty favourite Lee Jarvis hit the mark twice to match Little’s efforts for his old club.
Neath came into the game without two of their most experienced forwards, Barry Williams and Gareth Llewellyn, and they missed their presence as the forward battle hotted up in the second half.
Ponty’s crucial strike came after 56 minutes when Wales A lock Rob Sidoli secured clean lineout ball five metres out and the forwards combined to drive hooker Davies over for the try.
It didn’t help the Neath cause that their Fijian flanker Alfie Mocelutu spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for swinging arm tackle and Little extended his side’s lead with a drop goal.
Two more Jarvis penalties brought the game back to the boil as time began to run out, but Ponty made the game safe when full back Brett Davey landed a penalty.
Scorers: Pontypridd: Try: Mefin Davies; Pens: Nicky Little 2, Brett Davey; DG: Nicky Little. Neath: Pens: Lee Jarvis 4.