Bridgend enjoyed plenty of early possession but failed to advance beyond Ponty’s 10 metre line. The Ravens were then penalised after a scrum was shunted backwards by the Ponty eight, and from the resultant line-out Ponty engineered a try for Seb Davies in the right hand corner.
Three minutes later, not to be out-done, his fellow lock forward Chris Dicomidis also claimed a try after some fine interplay involving forwards and backs. This try, like the previous one, went unconverted, making it 12-0 to the home side. Ponty’s scrum was proving to be dominant and Bridgend were struggling for tidy possession from the set pieces.
Midway through the first half, Ponty resisted another brief period of Bridgend pressure before again putting pressure back on the visitors. They almost scored from a fleet footed attack down the right flank before a Ponty scrum five yards out rumbled over the line and gained a penalty try, which with the automatic conversion added took the score to 20-0.
Bridgend flanker Adam O’Driscoll was then yellow carded for handling in a ruck. From a subsequent penalty close to the oppostion line Ponty walked a scrum over the whitewash for Dan Godfrey to touch down. Again the conversion was not landed. The half time scoreboard read 26-0 with a bonus point already in the bag for the home side.
Another Bridgend player, winger Mike Powell was shown a yellow card four minutes into the second half for hauling down Alex Webber with a swinging arm. Hemi Barnes who had replaced the injured Jake Thomas, dived over for a score after a rolling maul from a line out. This time Ceri Sweeney added the extra points to bring the score to 34-0.
Dicomidis was the next to see yellow after diving over the wrong side of a ruck. After a series of hiatuses for these sin-binnings and a flurry of substitutions from both sides Ponty again took the game by the scruff of the neck and launched a series of scintillating attacks which culminated in Dafydd Lockyer charging through the Ravens’ defence to give a scoring pass to his co-centre Gavin Dacey. The try was converted by Sweeney.
With the clock showing 68 minutes played there was a brilliant try scored by Gary Williams who bullocked his way through four or five tackles to ground the ball. The conversion to bring up the half century of points was the last contribution by Sweeney who made way for Lewis K. Williams.
Ponty ended the game camped in the visitors’ half ensuring that the spirited Bridgend side had no points to show for their endeavours.
And here is the view from the Bridgend camp…
Bridgend Ravens were handed a handsome defeat at Sardis Road on Saturday, nilled by Premiership champions Pontypridd.
The Ravens faced a tough challenge at the home of the Principality Premiership champions Pontypridd, the visitors hoping for a repeat of the Swalec Cup Final performance at the Millennium Stadium last May that saw them lift the trophy. The young Ravens side fought valiantly until the end but the experience and skill of Pontypridd saw them come away clear victors.
Pontypridd took the lead with 10 minutes on the clock and never looked back. The hosts dominance in the pack helped them to touch down a total of seven times throughout the match.
Seb Davies opened the scoring for Pontypridd, battling over in the corner and two minutes later his second row partner Chris Dicomidis managed to slide over following a sweeping move from the Ponty half.
The Ravens worked hard, making some strong tackles, in an attempt to get themselves back into the match but were unable to do so. Ryan Evans missed a long range shot at goal – the Ravens only attempt all afternoon.
The hosts managed to secure a try bonus point before half time as a penalty try and a score for flanker Dan Godfrey both arrived following huge scrummaging efforts from Pontypridd. Adam O’Driscoll was shown a yellow card in the build up to the hosts fourth try.
Any Ravens hope of a second half comeback was dashed as Pontypridd continued to dominate. A second yellow card, this time for Michael Powell, left gaps around the field that Ponty were able to exploit.
Hemi Barnes scored Pontypridd’s first try of the second half. A driving maul following a penalty kick to the corner was marched over the line by the Ponty forwards.
A yellow card for Dicomidis came as Ponty continued to spoil Bridgend ball at the breakdown The Ravens were unable to build much momentum due to continued infringements. Marc Bennett looked dangerous on the counter attack but his kick ahead following his bust through the defence was cleared by the covering Ponty
defenders.
Two further tries were to come in the final quarter, Gavin Dacey and Gary Williams touching down for the hosts.
A spirited Bridgend performance was no match for the hosts as Pontypridd went some way to avenging the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Ravens in May.
