Cardiff Met 12 vs Pontypridd 42

Pontypridd ran in six tries to beat Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus to continue their unbeaten run and move to the summit of the Admiral Welsh Premiership.

First half scores from Cally James, Cai James and Joe Miles were accompanied by second half scores from Louis Rochefort-Shugar, Lucus Welsh and Stuart Floyd-Ellis.

There was a fitting pre match round of applause for Dr John Pugh, a former Pontypridd player and Cardiff Met club president who passed away last year, with both teams playing for a memorial shield in his name.

Cardiff Met had an early opportunity inside the Ponty 22 but some good work from the visitors’ defence saw the hosts knock the ball on at the back of a breakdown.

Ponty’s first attack of the afternoon came from a half break from fullback Dale Stuckey, with the pack keeping it tight as they rumbled closer to the try line.

Referee Aaron Parry awarded Ponty a penalty when the hosts were offside, the visitors again used the power of the forwards with captain Cally James crossing from short range.

Ponty struck again a few minutes later with a second try when blindside flanker Cai James hit a neat line, then number 8 Joe Miles was heavily involved with two line breaks in a few phases with his second setting up the platform for James to score. Jacob Symes’ second successful conversion saw Pontypridd lead 14-0 after sixteen minutes.

Cardiff Met had a chance of their own and took it through scrum half Harry Rice who managed to escape a Ponty tackle to dot down in the 23rd minute.

Number 8 Miles completed a full house of try scorers in the Ponty backrow when he burrowed over on the half hour mark, fly-half Jacob Symes made it three conversions from three to give his side a 21-7 lead which was the score at the interval.

HALF TIME – Cardiff Met 7-21 Pontypridd

The start of the second half saw both teams attempt to attack from the middle of the field.

A nice switch play from the Met almost created a gap for centre Gus Patterson, whilst Ponty wing Joe Davies attempted a chip and chase.

Met fullback Ben Parsons broke from his own 22 after evading a tackle from his opposite man Stuckey.

After Parsons spilt the ball, Ponty strung together some neat offloads with outside centre Stuart Floyd-Ellis making a break, but his offload was intercepted.

Ponty had a chance inside the Cardiff Met 22 and similarly to the first half, it was controlled by the forwards, but a knock on ensured the hosts held on.

The bonus point score that the visitors were looking for arrived in the 64th minute. Joe Davies broke down the wing and offloaded to centre Floyd-Ellis who was stopped short of the tryline after a tackle from Met openside Lachie McGowan, but the ball was spun out wide to wing Louis Rochefort-Shugar who went over in the corner.

In the final 10 minutes, replacement Lucus Welch crossed for a fifth score for the visitors after he dummied his way through the defence.

Yet the hosts managed a second try in the final couple of minutes, wing Ben Agbenu scored a brilliant solo finish where he beat 2 defenders.

Outside centre Floyd-Ellis rounded off the afternoon in style when he broke through to score with the final play of the game. Replacement fly half Jaydan Pugh struck an excellent conversion to cap a very good bonus-point win for the Valley Commandos.

Ponty head into the Welsh Premiership Cup next weekend away at Bargoed on October 26^th before returning to Sardis Road on November 2^nd when they welcome Bonymaen in the Welsh Premiership.

FULL TIME – Cardiff Met 12-42 Pontypridd (19/10/2024)

Match report – Iestyn Thomas

PONTYPRIDD –

15. Dale Stuckey. 14. Joe Davies. 13. Stuart Floyd-Ellis. 12. Garyn Smith. 11. Louis Rochefort-Shugar (Sam Talbot). 10. Jacob Symes (Jaydan Pugh). 9. Joel Raikes (Lucus Welch).

1. Ben Stephens (Dan Cotterell). 2. Jeff Young (Rob Jones). 3. Kian Mattravers (Morgan Bosanko). 4. Mitch Barnard (Will Jameson). 5. Kristian Parker. 6. Cai James (Lloyd Riley). 7. Cally James (c). 8. Joe Miles.

Subs: 16. Rob Jones. 17. Dan Cotterell. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Lloyd Riley. 20. Will Jameson. 21. Lucus Welch. 22. Jaydan Pugh. 23. Sam Talbot.

Tries: Cally James, Cai James, Joe Miles, Louis Rochefort-Shugar, Lucus Welch, Stuart Floyd-Ellis

Conversions: Jacob Symes x 4, Jaydan Pugh x 2

CARDIFF MET –

15. Ben Parsons. 14. Ioan Evans. 13. Jack Statton. 12. Gus Patterson. 11. Ben Agbenu. 10. Tom Howlett. 9. Harry Rice.

1. Liam Newstead. 2. George Merritt. 3. Jac Pritchard. 4. Ryan Cozens. 5. Charlie Bedford. 6. Max Brown (c). 7. Lachie McGowan. 8. Nick Murphy.

Subs: 16. Olly Arnold. 17. Will Pearce. 18. Alex Wakefield. 19. Sam Bryan. 20. Cerith Davies. 21. Louis Pereira. 22. Ross McKay. 23. Tiaan Evans.

Tries: Harry Rice, Ben Agbenu

Conversion: Tom Howlett

Referee: Aaron Parry

Assistant Referee/Third Official: Tony Davies