Newbridge 14-53 Pontypridd – Match Report
Pontypridd booked their spot in the final of the Welsh Premiership Cup with a 53-14 win over Newbridge at the Gnoll.
A brace of tries from Dale Stuckey and Joe Davies were accompanied by scores from Kristian Parker, Stuart Floyd-Ellis, Garyn Smith, Jaydan Pugh and Ioan Evans.
Despite late Newbridge scores from Joel Gilbert and Geraint Evans, Ponty will head to the Principality Stadium on the 5th of April where they will play Cross Keys in the final.
Ponty opened the scoring in the fourth minute after some neat build-up play gaining inroads inside the Newbridge half. When the ball entered the 22, the Valley Commandos struck with a short ball to fullback Dale Stuckey who broke through the initial defence to reach out and score.
After his first box-kick was charged down, Lucus Welch’s second attempt to clear from just outside his 22 was a clean kick and forced an error from fullback Newbridge Robbie Turley.
Inside centre Ioan Evans lined up a penalty attempt just inside the Newbridge half following a dominant Ponty scrum, but his effort came up short which allowed the opposition to clear.
Ponty built up their attack for a second time in the 14th minute and it resulted in a second try, this time through second row Kristian Parker who was on the receiving end of some neat passing from fly-half Pugh and prop Garyn Daniel.
Newbridge managed to wrestle some momentum at the end of the first quarter with a couple of penalties inside the Ponty 22 in the rolling maul. On their third attempt, referee Garerth Newman awarded a penalty against Bridge for obstruction.
Ponty turned defence into attack quickly moments later, with further sustained pressure resulting in a third try – a pass from centre Evans evaded the final Newbridge defender and found the hands of Stuart Floyd-Ellis who crossed in the corner.
Newbridge were reduced to 14 players when blindside flanker Gavin Price was sent to the sinbin following multiple lineout infringements from his side.
Ponty crossed for their fourth try after half an hour in similar style to the Parker try with persistent build-up play inside the opposing 22. Then, with plenty of space out-wide fly-half Pugh gathered and crossed in the corner.
In the half’s final play, a fifth try was scored by Ponty through centre Garyn Smith. Smith, making his first start on his return from injury scored from short range giving his side a 29-0 lead at the interval.
HALF TIME – Newbridge 0-29 Pontypridd
Despite a healthy advantage, Pontypridd didn’t let up on the try scoring count with three tries in the opening 10 minute period of the second half.
The first of those went to fullback Stuckey who crossed for his second of the afternoon as Ponty once again exposed an overlap out wide following some sustained pressure.
Inside centre Ioan Evans crossed over to extend Ponty’s lead when he bundled over after beating a couple of defenders to score. This was before wing Joe Davies marked his return to the Ponty side with a try after pouncing on a spilled ball from a Newbridge player to regather his grubber kick and score under the cross bar. Ioan Evans kicked the conversion and Ponty led 46-0 after 51 minutes.
The Newbridge supporters that travelled to Neath for this semi-final eventually had something to cheer about when replacement Joel Gilbert scored – this was just after Ponty were reduced to 14 players a couple of minutes earlier following a yellow card to Lloyd Riley for dissent.
In the 66th minute Joe Davies picked up his second try of the afternoon, Ponty’s attack consistently narrowed the Newbridge defence and the wing beat a couple of defenders to make the conversion a little easier. Davies’ try and Pugh’s conversion pushed Ponty’s score past the half century mark on the scoreboard.
Newbridge continued to show plenty of heart and were rewarded when they scored the final try of the match when replacement prop Geraint Evans scored from close range in the game’s final play. A second conversion from fullback Turley signalled the final whistle from referee Gareth Newman to close the game, with Ponty running out 53-14 winners.
Ponty return to league action when they travel to face Bonymaen on Friday 14th March, before welcoming Merthyr to Sardis Road a week later.
FULL TIME – Newbridge 14-53 Pontypridd (1/3/2025)
Match report – Iestyn Thomas
PONTYPRIDD –
15. Dale Stuckey. 14. Joe Davies (Oli Shepherd). 13. Garyn Smith. 12. Ioan Evans (Louis Rochefort-Shugar). 11. Stuart Floyd-Ellis. 10. Jaydan Pugh. 9. Lucus Welch (Joel Raikes).
1. Ben Stephens (Ben Drew). 2. Rob Jones (Jeff Young). 3. Garyn Daniel (Morgan Bosanko). 4. Mitch Barnard. 5. Kristian Parker. 6. Lloyd Riley. 7. Cally James (c) (Aled Evans). 8. Joe Miles (Oliver Lewis).
Subs: 16. Jeff Young. 17. Ben Drew. 18. Morgan Bosanko. 19. Oliver Lewis. 20. Aled Evans. 21. Joel Raikes. 22. Oli Shepherd. 23. Louis Rochefort-Shugar.
Tries: Dale Stuckey x 2, Kristian Parker, Stuart Floyd-Ellis, Jaydan Pugh, Garyn Smith, Ioan Evans, Joe Davies x 2
Conversions: Jaydan Pugh x 3, Ioan Evans
Yellow Card: Lloyd Riley
NEWBRIDGE –
15. Robbie Turley. 14. Sam Watkins. 13. Josh Thomas. 12. Iestyn Martin-Lloyd. 11. Cian Jones. 10. Simon Veall. 9. Matthew Davies.
1. Gareth Young. 2. Stuart Vokes (c). 3. Jordan Reames-Williams. 4. Lloyd Ford. 5. Gavin McDonnell. 6. Gavin Price. 7. Luke Morgan. 8. Michael Preece.
Subs: 16. Joel Gilbert. 17. Michael Kavanagh. 18. Geraint Evans. 19. Jakob Duffy. 20. Zach Stuart. 21. Ethan Chess. 22. Reegan Davies. 23. Eamonn Rees.
Tries: Joel Gilbert, Geraint Evans
Conversions: Robbie Turley x 2
Yellow Cards: Garin Price, Luke Morgan, Reegan Davies
Referee: Gareth Newman
Assistant Referees: 1. James Jones. 2. Damien Osbourne.
Assistant Referee/Third Official: Stuart Vaudin
