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Hill breaks Quins’ resistance

Hill breaks Quins’ resistance

Pontypridd ended their Carmarthen curse as they secured a 16-24 win over the Quins to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

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The visitors gained a foothold in the game and started to dominate territory through the probing kicks of outside half Dai Flanagan during what was a cautious opening to the game. It was Flanagan who opened the scoring though, slotting over a penalty with six minutes gone.

Despite the Quins countering through full back Geraint Walsh, it was still the visitors who were edging the contest territorially but neither try line was threatened during the first quarter of an hour. Instead it was a tale of the two kickers as Flanagan added another two penalties whilst his opposite number James Dixon missed two attempts at goal.

A change of kicker eventually allowed the home team to get the scoreboard moving as full back Dan Newton put the ball between the posts. A game which had been pretty much at a stalemate came to life as a break from Ponty No 8 Dan Godfrey saw his side advance towards the home line.

Quins lock Gavin Evans was dispatched to the sin bin for impeding play and from the resultant scrum, the Ponty pack powered over for a try claimed by Godfrey and converted by Flanagan. Despite a brief reposte from the Quins, Ponty held out for a deserved interval lead of 3-16.

Ponty flew out of the traps in the second-half and a penalty from Flanagan saw them increase their lead. The Quins then countered at pace, with Ponty flanker Wayne O’Connor sent to the sin bin as his team conceded ground and then points from a Newton penalty. Newton added another three points as the Quins clawed their way back into contention.

And things got even better for the home side when a quick tap penalty saw No 8 Andrew Thomas go over for a try in the corner which Newton converted. The game was balanced on a knife edge going into the final quarter with both teams launching attacks and counter attacks in a tense passage of play.

But in the final passage of play Pontypridd sealed the wing. After driving into the home 22, home No 8 Andrew Thomas was sin binned in the process, and from an attacking line out, Ponty lock Cory Hill went over for a match winning try wide out to seal the elusive victory away to the Quins.

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