It may well be 401 appearances and counting as a player for the Ponty stalwart, but this time it was purely a watching brief for Dicomidis as he was calling the shots for the first time.
Wingers Niko Matawalu and Tom Edwards were both at the double for Pontypridd at St Helen’s with Macauley Cook also scoring a try. Josh Phillips kicked a conversion and a penalty.
Cameron Jones scored twice in the first half for the Whites with captain Callum Bowden scoring once in the second. Rhys Jones added two conversions and a penalty.
Dicomidis has assumed responsibility for the team for the remainder of the season after coaches Lee Davies, Geraint Lewis, Gareth Wyatt and team manager Dan Godfrey all stepped down after the 45-10 defeat against Newport at Sardis Road on 29 February.
“It’s been a tough week,” admitted Dicomidis. “We’ve lost four great guys; great people, not just great coaches, so that’s for them as well – as much as it is for the boys.
“I told the boys to go out there and express ourselves and play some rugby with smiles on our faces for the last five games. To come away from here with a bonus point win is phenomenal for the boys with the week we’ve been through.”
Pontypridd’s next opponents are cup finalists Merthyr – who edged a 10-try thriller at Aberavon 33-31 in a thriller. Right wing Morgan Meaclem opened the scoring two minutes in at the Talbot Athletic Ground, Josh Lewis converting.
Further first half tries from back rower Kian Evans and second row Craig Locke, the latter converted by Lewis, saw the visitors with their noses in front 19-12 at the interval. Frankie Jones, converted by James Davies, and then Stef Andrews had earlier responded to Meaclem and Evans’ tries respectively.
Jay Baker scored a third, unconverted, Aberavon try just after the re-start but it wasn’t long before Merthyr were back up the other end scoring a bonus point winning try courtesy of left wing Adam Hoskins. Lewis’ conversion gave them a 26-17 lead.
This entertaining clash then looked to be heading the way of Aberavon who seized the lead through tries from Rhodri Hughes and Shay Smallman, both converted by Davies, to go 31-26 ahead. But it would be Merthyr who would have the final say on 62 minutes with their fifth try scored and converted by Lewis.
Newport’s play-off spot is now secure after they beat old rivals Cardiff 28-14 at Rodney Parade to make it nine consecutive bonus point victories.
Centre Chay Foster-Smith broke the deadlock on six minutes with a try converted by Matt O’Brien. That was the way it stayed until three minutes before the break when Newport lock Josh Skinner turned the key on the Cardiff defence to score, with O’Brien again converting, to open up a 14-0 advantage at half time.
Scrum-half Che Hope bagged Newport’s third try just after the break following Foster-Smith’s interception, again converted by O’Brien.
Sean Moore responded for Cardiff with a try just before the hour after charging down a kick with Harrison James converting. But the bonus point was in the bag for Newport on 69 minutes when full-back Jac Lloyd powered his way through for their fourth try which O’Brien again improved.
It completed a league double for the season over Cardiff – who did bag a second try scored by centre Luke Pollock and converted by James.
Meanwhile, full-back Edd Howley’s brace helped Bridgend Ravens see off Neath 32-23 at the Brewery Field. Captain Zac O’Driscoll and scrum-half Chris Williams also scored in a bonus point win for the hosts. Jamin Hodgkins kicked three conversions and two penalties.
Ryan Griffiths, Ryan Evans and Morgan Kneath scored for the visitors with Kristian Jones kicking two penalties and a conversion.
RGC held off a second half fightback to win 20-15 at Carmarthen Quins. The visitors scored all of their points in the first half to lead 20-0 at the break through Sam Stoddart and Afon Bagshaw tries.
Both were converted by Sam Earl-Jones who also kicked a penalty and a drop goal. Quins came back in the second half but ultimately had to settle for a losing bonus point.
Llandovery continued their dominant run to maintain their 10-point advantage at the top after a 48-26 win at Pontypool Park. It was a 17th consecutive win in all competitions for the double-chasing Drovers.
Winger Kian Abraham’s first half hat-trick set the reigning champions on their way, although Pontypool scrum half replied with a hat-trick of his own for the home side to help them pick up a bonus-point.
Full-back Jac Davies and brothers Aaron and Adam Warren also ran in first half tries to open up a 36-7 lead. Hooker Taylor Davies came off the bench to score two further second half tries and cap another thoroughly comprehensive win.
Having also helped himself to four tries in the win at Neath last month, Davies is now the Premiership’s top try scorer with 15.
Having been punished in the first 40 minutes Pontypool, to their huge credit, hit back at and threatened a major second half comeback. Lloyd scored a brilliant hat-trick, with two tries in the opening six minutes after the re-start, adding to hooker Sam Scarfe’s score in the first half, to bag them a bonus point.
