The visitors responded to their unexpected delay by claiming an early score, taking top of the line ball for outside half Simon Humberstone to launch a clever cross kick, chased down by winger Alex Webber to ground the ball in the corner, with just three minutes gone.
London Scottish attempts to strike back were repelled, and compounded by their own errors. The home pack continued to advance into the Ponty 22, making the most of penalty decisions in their favour and applying concerted pressure.
A beleaguered Ponty defence was weakened by the sin binning of scrum half Tavis Knoyle, and eventually conceded points as Scottish No8 James Phillips stretched over for a try which was converted by full back Peter Lydon.
Ponty responded with a phase of pressure, edging into the home 22 but without threatening a score, before London Scottish countered, with a series of attacks and counter attacks maintaining the game’s high tempo.
The contest was close fought, fast and furious as it reached the half hour mark, the home team edging territory and possession but hitting a brick wall Ponty defence.
As Scottish continued to press, and with the Ponty pack penalised in the scrums, the home team extended their lead as Peter Lydon kicked for the posts with 34 minutes gone. Ponty were labouring hard to bring their back line runners into play, but unable to fashion a breakthrough, again penalised and with prop Tau’ Filise yellow carded.
Pegged back on their own 22, Ponty poached a turnover for scrum half Knoyle to race clear, evading the desperate home chasers to score a dramatic try which Humberstone converted, registering an interval score-line of 10-12.
The visitors kept up their momentum as the second half got underway, launching a sweeping attack for hooker Liam Belcher to go close in the corner, then laying siege to the home line with No8 Dan Godfrey again held up just short. If a kitchen sink had been available, Ponty would have thrown that as well as everything else at the London Scottish defence, but an intense period of pressure failing to bring a score.
Ponty then found themselves under pressure as a Humberstone clearance was charged down, the home attackers taking advantage with winger Connor Braid going close to scoring in the corner. The visitors however were clearly intent on taking the game to their opponents, willing to counter from deep and pressing the Scottish defence into conceding penalties. From one such decision Humberstone launched a kick between the posts to extend Ponty’s lead with 57 minutes gone.
Scottish responded with a phase of concerted pressure, their forwards driving to the line, the ball then whipped out for replacement Chris Auld to break through for a try, converted by Lydon. The contest was full on and frenetic, swaying from one end of the field to the other as both teams strove hard to attack, with Ponty again just edging into the lead through a Humberstone penalty.
A dramatic climax was in store going into the final ten minutes of play, with Scottish pressing but Ponty again clearing and chasing on the counter. With their support in full voice behind them, Ponty continued to hold out against concerted Scottish pressure then kicked upfield to relieve the siege.
The drama continued to the death, Webber making a telling break, the ball moved wide to opposite wing Lewis Williams who arced behind the posts for a try which was converted by Humberstone. Ponty threw everything into attack going into injury time, their efforts denied, but ensuring victory by 17-25 following an enthralling encounter.
Pontypridd’a dramatic victory ensures they progress to the quarter final stages of the British & Irish Cup as one of three best runners-up in the pool stage.
Pontypridd will now go into the quarter final draw, placed in the bottom ranking which will guarantee them playing away against one of the four top ranked clubs – Doncaster, Worcester, Bristol or Rotherham.
