James paved the way for three tries, picked up the man of the match award and was instrumental in ensuring the Ironmen moved nine points clear at the top. Now they can turn their attentions to defended their WRU National Cup title against Cardiff at Principality Stadium this weekend.
While James is unlikely to feature for either side in that game, Merthyr head coach Dale McInotsh is at least still in the hunt to repeat the double-double he achieved when he was in charge at Pontypridd.
“It had been a difficult week and we had to manage the resources available to us. We got what we deserved at Llandovery and we changed the pack around,” said McIntosh.
“We knew we would have to off-load the bench and that worked well for us. We can now focus on the Cup final.
“I don’t think Cardiff will be quaking in their boots, but we are in the ring and we will be ready to go on Sunday.”
Bargoed came into the game knowing that Bridgend’s win early in the day had condemned them to the drop, but they went down with honour. Twice they hit the front in the first half and the champions simply couldn’t find a way to shake them off until almost an hour of play.
They even scored the last of the game’s 10 tries with the clock in the red to pick up a bonus-point. That was nothing less than they deserved and if they can keep their side together they will undoubtedly be a force in the Championship once again next season.
Scrum half James Leadbeater sniped over from a five metre scrum to score a try that Josh Prosser converted to give them the lead and then Jordan Howells picked off a pass to race 55 metres for an interception score.
The temperatures were so high even for the 5.00pm kick-off that referee Ben Brakespear permitted drinks breaks in both halves. Merthyr certainly made things hotter for their visitors as the game wore on as McIntosh used his experienced bench to devastating effect.
A driving line-out try from No 8 Andrew Murphy and a sensational length of the field try for Kyle Evans inspired by James made it 14-12 to the home side at the break. Lock Ben Murphy stretched out for a third try three minutes into the second half, but back came Bargoed with an Ashley Norton try moments after Jack Perkins had seen yellow for leading with his head at the breakdown.
Then the floodgates opened and Merthyr added three more tries. Full back Josh Martin benefited from some more mesmeric running from James to pick up two in three minutes to bring up the bonus-point and then the impressive Arron Pinches used his pace and power to add the sixth and final home try.
Cardiff, meanwhile, played for 10 minutes with 13 men and another 10 with 14 as they conceded three yellow cards, a hat-full of penalties and a penalty try in a defeat that head coach Steve Law conceded had ended their title challenge.
“We will lick our wounds and carry on next week,” said Law, who now has to pick up his side ahead of their Cup final against Merthyr on Sunday.
“We gave away soft tries, Ponty showed more character and it looked as though we were playing by numbers at times.”
As well as issuing yellow cards to the Cardiff trio of Will Rees-Hole (side entry at a ruck), Peter Lloyd (turning a scrum) and Ben Thomas (deliberate knock-on), referee Craig Evans also sent Ponty prop Graham Smith to the bin.
Smith, for tackling Rees-Hole from an offside position, and Thomas went off after Evans had awarded penalty tries against them. Having taken the lead with their third minute penalty try, Cardiff added a second on 25 minutes when wing James Beal used his pace to score a vital corner try.
Ponty hit back with a penalty try against Thomas for a deliberate knock-on just before the break and started the second half with a bang with tries from Dane Blacker and Rob Jones that Ceri Sweeney converted off the touchline.
Dale Stuckey then intercepted on half way to race clear for the bonus-point try before Cardiff picked up a consolation try from Aled Cockwell. They could have got a bit more out of the game in the final play, when replacement hooker Ian Jenkins got to within inches of the line.
The TMO couldn’t spot a clear grounding and what could have been a try to earn the visitors two points never materialised. It was that sort of night for them.
The Drovers moved up into second place in the Principality Premiership table as they made it a magnificent seven wins in a row as they completed the double over their deadly rivals.
It was a win that left head coach Euros Evans doing the inevitable – dreaming of what might have been.
“We’ve picked up points against the top teams, but then lost to some of those in the relegation zone. When we look back on the season we will have to ask the question of what happened in the two defeats to Bridgend and the loss at Cross Keys,” said Evans.
“It was a good, high-tempo win over Merthyr and now the aim is to finish as high as we possibly can. There are two games to go for us, but other teams have games in hand.”
Quins arrived on a high after their 32-12 win at Sardis Road and their head coach Emyr Phillips had been at Church Bank in midweek to run the rule over the Drovers in their bonus-point win over Merthyr.
Outside half Jac Wilson gave Quins the lead when he put the first points on the board with a 10th minute penalty and then added the extras to a try at the posts by full back Dale Ford on the half-hour mark.
Jack Maynard had replied to Wilson’s opening penalty with one of his own four minutes later and by the break he had hauled the home side back to within a point with two more. He then kicked his side into the lead for the first time 10 minutes into the second half.
Prop Berian Walters then drove over for his side’s first try in the 67th minute. Maynard couldn’t add the extras, but Wilson kept things interesting with a penalty a few minutes later to cut the gap to a mere four points before Watkins made the break that allowed Shaun Miles to race 20 metres for a try that Maynard converted.
