Ponty Youth edged out at Newbridge

Pontypridd Youth went down to a close fought defeat in an away friendly against Dragons A League leaders Newbridge on Saturday 30th September.

The match had been hastily re-arranged after Gwernyfed had called off their National Youth Cup tie against Ponty.

Newbridge and Pontypridd had met earlier in the year with Ponty on that occasion edging a very competitive and bruising encounter.

Saturday’s friendly proved to be no different with both teams setting out their stalls early on with strong defences dominating long periods of the first half.  Ponty edged it in the number of attacking chances created but it was Newbridge who held a narrow 3pts to 0 advantage at the break.

The second half saw Newbridge go all out to score early and extend their lead, but a strong and well organised defensive effort from Ponty frustrating the home side who only notched up another three points as reward for their efforts.

Ponty struck back within five minutes and forced a penalty of their own to narrow the defecit. From the restart the visitors retained possession and it was a break by Kelan Mahoney from a maul that drove the game deep into the home half. A rare defensive error by Newbridge saw the ball pop out of the ruck with Ponty’s scrum half the first to react and make a thirty metre run to score in the corner.

The home side applied pressure and with just five minutes remaining forced a line out close to Ponty’s line. A miss thrown ball in the wet conditions went loose and it was a Newbridge flanker who reacted first, snatching the ball and driving over  in the corner for a try which was converted to regain the home side’s.

Ponty worked hard to get back on terms and put the home line under a great deal of pressure in the closing minutes but were unable to convert any of their chances.   Newbridge held out to claim victory by 13pts to 8 following a very competitive game.