Pontypridd took to the field with Alex Jones in as a late replacement for Chris Dicomidis at lock. It was the home team that applied early pressure, enabling outside half Billy McBryde to kick a penalty from a wide angle with just two minutes gone. Ponty advanced into their opponents’ twenty-two, scrum half Lloyd Williams sniping from the base of an attacking scrum and feeding no8 Jake Thomas to cross for a try which went unconverted.
Ponty struck again as they launched a foray from the half way line, centre Aled Summerhill cruising in for a try wide out, the ensuing conversion again off target. Llanelli responded with a phase of pressure, but were stopped short on the visitors’ twenty-two. Ponty were next to advance, outside half Simon Humberstone launching a pin-point cross kick which winger Owain Jenkins gathered to score in the corner, extending his side’s lead to 3pts to 15 with seventeen minutes gone.
The game ebbed and flowed as Llanelli again went on the offensive, but a committed Ponty rearguard tackling and poaching turnovers to resist. Ponty then transformed defence into attack, launching a snap counter, Simon Humberstone providing a scoring pass in contact for winger Lewis Williams to cross for the bonus point try. The Valley Commandos were by now in full flow, full back Matthew Nuthall instigating a dynamic break out of his own half, centre Aled Summerhill in support to cross for yet another try, none of which had yet been converted.
Ponty showed good continuity in launching wave after wave of attack, driving on from a line-out for hooker Aled Morris to claim a close range try. The visitors then back tracked into their twenty-two, holding out against concerted pressure applied by Llanelli, and having centre Aled Summerhill dispatched to the sin bin. Defending stoically on their own line deep into injury time, Pontypridd preserved an advantage of 3pts to 30 to the interval.
Commencing the second half as they had ended the first, Llanelli were finally rewarded for their attacking prowess and exploiting their one man advantage as winger Richard Thomas was worked in for a try wide out. Ponty resumed on the offensive, kicking for territory and setting up camp in the home twenty-two. Playing through numerous phases Ponty worked the ball wide for winger Lewis Williams to cross for a try, his side’s seventh but not one as yet converted.
Ponty were again the main attacking force, spreading the ball amongst the backs then driving over from a line out for no8 Jake Thomas to claim a try. The game was being played exclusively in the home half as it moved into its final quarter, before Llanelli finally launched a counter into opposition territory, but finding no way through a well organised Ponty defence.
The home team were nothing if not persistent, a prolonged stay in the Ponty twenty-two finally reaping its reward as flanker Owain Morgan burrowed over for a close range try. Ponty were striving hard to break out of their own half and did so in style by launching a dynamic counter, rounded off with a try for roving flanker Dafi Davies and, to the echo of a roar from the visiting support, converted from in front of the posts by Simon Humberstone. Ponty struck again as they instigated an attack down the flank, replacement prop James Howe motoring up in support to claim a try, converted by Humberstone.
It was all out attack from Pontypridd into the final minutes of play, moving the ball deftly through many pairs of hands before centre Summerhill darted over for his hat-trick of tries, the score again converted by Humberstone. A frenetic encounter came to an end with Pontypridd emphatic victors, having ran in no fewer than 11 tries in reaching that tally.
