Pontypridd 26 vs Cross Keys 12

A quiet opening to the match was resolved courtesy of a jinking run by Ponty full back Geraint Walsh that set up excellent field position and when the ball was passed wide, flanker Rhys Shellard barged his way over for a try in the corner.

Ponty’s line-out drive was now proving to be a very useful weapon and saw the home side camped on the Keys’ line but for all the possession and pressure only a close range Diggy Bird penalty troubling the scoreboard operator.

From the re-start Ponty centres Garyn Smith and Dafydd Lockyer combined to send Diggy Bird racing over from twenty-five metres out, the outside half then getting up to convert his own try.

With Ponty pressing for another try, Cross Keys wing Matthew Powell was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on, the home side opting for a kick into the corner but unable to protect the ball and yielding a turn over. With no further scores registered Ponty went in at the break 15pts to 0 ahead.

With the first attack of the second half, Key’s were again penalised and Diggy Bird kicked a long range penalty to increase the home lead. An outstanding fifty metre break by wing Dale Stuckey set up Ponty’s next try as Chris Dicomidis was up in support to pass on to Morgan Sieniawski who scored out wide, finishing off the best move of the match.

With what seemed the visitors first concerted attack to Ponty’s try line, flanker Taine Basham scored a try in the corner.

Cross Keys were reduced to fourteen men for the second time in the match when outside half Corey Shepherd infringed at the breakdown. From the resultant penalty Ponty replacement Ceri Sweeney easily slotted the ball between the posts.

Ponty were now hunting the bonus point score but it would be Cross Keys who finished the stronger, claiming the final try of the match as centre Leon Andrews grounded the ball out wide with full back Josh Prosser converting the score.

The home side had one last attack but when it came to nothing replacement Ceri Sweeney let his frustration show and was sin binned for dissent.

With Ponty failing to claim another try, they settled for a  26pts to 12 victory in match which was slow to start and barely hit the heights, but was lit up by the one quality break by Dale Stuckey.

Pontypridd:

15.Geraint Walsh (Lloyd Rowlands). 14.Aled Summerhill. 13.Garyn Smith. 12.Dafydd Lockyer – cpt. 11.Dale Stuckey. 10.Diggy Bird (Ceri Sweeney). 9.Joel Raikes.

1.Chris Phillips (Huw Owen). 2.Huw Dowden (Joe Page). 3.Will Davies-King (Jon Elley). 4.Sean Moore. 5.Chris Dicomidis. 6.Rhys Shellard (Thomas Jevons). 7.Morgan Sieniawski. 8.Hemi Barnes (Lee Evans).

Tries: Shellard (14); Bird (25); Sieniawski (49)

Con: Bird (26)

Pens: Bird (24, 41); Sweeney (67)

Cross Keys:

15.Josh Prosser. 14.Matthew Powell. 13.Leon Andrews. 12.Barney Nightingale (Phil Williams). 11.Lloyd Lewis. 10.Corey Shepherd. 9.James Leadbeater (Ross Pritchard).

1.Lewis Smout (Corey Hewlett). 2.Robert Jones (Will Griffiths). 3.Richard Cornock (Gary Carpenter). 4.Tom Lampard. 5.Joshua Skinner. 6.Taine Basham (Liam Davies). 7.Joe Thomas (Scott Matthews). 8.Adam Powell – cpt.

Tries: Basham (64); Andrews (77)

Con: Prosser (77)

Golden Bob man of the match: Sean Moore

WRU man of the match: Morgan Sieniawski

Referee:-  Mike English

Attendance: 1,650