Pontypridd were forced into a late change as No8 Dan Godfrey withdrew after the pre-match warm up with Jake Thomas taking his place and Luke Crocker coming into a re-shuffled back row. The home team were unaffected and made a positive enough start, centre Dafydd Lockyer going close to scoring in the corner.
Ponty remained in the ascendancy as the game progressed, looking to bring their back line runners into play, often threatening but as yet unable to fashion a breakthrough. As Ebbw Vale edged back into contention they failed to put points on the board as centre Adam Jones saw two successive penalty attempts drift wide of the target.
The game was degenerating into a scrappy affair, with Ponty’s disfunctional line-out hampering their attempts to dominate. Just as the first half seemed to be heading into a stalemate finish Ponty made the crucial strike, outside half Simon Humberstone making a dynamic break with Dafydd Lockyer up in support to cross for a try which Humberstone converted for a 7-0 interval lead.
The home team were still getting the better of exchanges after the break, with Ebbw struggling to find a way out of their own half and becoming more and more indisciplined in their efforts. Flanker Cameron Regan was shown a yellow card, and no sooner was he back in play than second row Ashley Sweet followed him to the sin-bin. Ponty in the meantime took full advantage as outside half Humberstone stroked over two penalties on forty-seven and fifty-four minutes.
The home team were grafting hard to secure possession and were rewarded as flanker Luke Crocker powered over for a crucial try which Humberstone converted. The game was over as a contest, and the home victory sealed at the death as replacement Lloyd Williams crossed for his side’s third touchdown, the conversion from Humberstone registering a final score-line of 27-0.
