While Ponty have guaranteed their place in the Play-off final, Cross Keys now need maximum points from one of the two games with Bridgend to guarantee a place in the play offs. If they wish to contest the play-offs on home soil, they must pick up at least nine points across the two games and hope Ebbw Vale get nothing from their trip to fourth placed Cardiff in their final game.
Keys got off to a good start with scrum half James Leadbeater going over for a try in the corner.
Handling errors and turnovers blighted the flow of play with Pontypridd largely struggling to make an impact.
Having gone close to scoring in the corner, Ponty eventually settled for an injury time penalty kicked by Jarrod Evans to open their account, still trailing at the interval by 5-3.
Ponty started the second half with a concerted phase of pressure, an early breakthrough coming as scrum half Tom Williams sliced through for a fine individual score.
Launching a scrum attack Ponty shipped the ball wide, a long miss pass feeding winger Alex Webber to dart over for a try in the corner.
Ponty were upping the tempo of their game, centre Gary Williams leading a midfield charge but with no threat of a score. After a period of Keys attack had been repelled Ponty seized a turnover to counter, Gary Williams again the catalyst and feeding on for scrum half Williams to power over for a try which was converted by Evans.
Cross Keys regrouped to launch a phase of attack, setting up camp in the visitors’ twenty-two before full back James Cordy-Redden barged over from close range with O’Brien adding the conversion.
Capitalising on their opponents’ errors Ponty were able to advance, a series of five metre scrums applying intense pressure but the home line remaining intact. Having again gone close to scoring Ponty finally cut through by launching a fluent attack which was rounded off as centre Gavin Dacey cruised in for a try which Evans converted from a wide angle.
Into injury time Cross Keys retaliated with a concerted phase of pressure, Ponty lock Alex Jones dispatched to the sin bin before Keys flanker Scott Mathews burrowed over for a try, the score converted by O’Brien. That proved to be a consolation only as Ponty had already done enough to secure a hard earned bonus point victory.
