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This was a game between two teams next to each other in the league and both sides had expectations of winning. The weather was dry, a little cold  and the wind blowing diagonally across the field coming from the Canal Bridge corner.  Ponty played into it in the first half.

The first half which Ponty won 6-3 was fairly even stevens with both teams seeking the run the ball and offload. The Cwmtwrch backs appeared to be more comfortable with the ball in hand and the tackling was good by both sides. We had the edge in the forwards and it was good too see two new faces namely No4 Jonny Hills and No 8 Dylan Hills in the pack playing for Ponty on permit from Cwmgorse (who didn’t have a game today).  We thank you for coming and hoped you enjoyed your game with us. A quickly taken penalty on the half way line put Sam Benyon away down the right hand side before being brought down some 10 meters from the line.

5 minutes into the second half, Ponty, who had a man in the sin bin; started an ambitious move by picking the ball up off the ground 10 metres from our own try line and move the ball out left. A good run by the No4  down the left hand wing and a good pass inside at the appropriate time took the ball to within metres of the try-line just 10 metres to the left of the posts and the from the resulting ruck the ball was moved quickly to the left into the safe hands of Sion Jones whose side step, dummy and blistering acceleration were not needed to fall over for a good try.   11-3.

Back to full strength Ponty looked to be the better team and some trade mark pick ups by full back Calum saw him make lots of metres and create opportunities. Even when another yellow card was awarded against them they battled on with lots of pick and goes and power play almost resulting in another try. Ponty were the better team of the first 30 minutes but towards the end of that period Cwmtwrch took over making the best of broken play and the Cherries ill discipline they secured many phases and running the ball through hands scored a really good try under the posts (after crossing the line in the Canal bridge corner) too which the converted taking the score to 11-10.  

It was a case of trying to hold out for the final whistle against a side in the ascendancy and they did so for quite some time, 5 minutes into added time in fact, but Cwmtwrch were not be denied and after choosing to quickly take a penalty just inside our half they gained some 20 meters, so that when they received yet another penalty award they were almost in front of the posts some 20 meters out, and the successful penalty ended the game with them winning 11-13.

This was the first time this season that ill discipline by Ponty reared its head and just like last season, it cost us dearly. Apart from conceding 10 metres on a few occasions we also had two players yellow carded in the first half and one in the second. The first two was for in-appropriate language (allbeit one of these might have been a case of mistaken identity for it apparently came from a Cwmtwrch player). A technical foul was the cause of the third for hands in the ruck. Richard Greig’s presence on the field was missed for he has been really excellent at addressing the ill discipline in the team that was inherent last season and for this game he choose to be a reserve, before coming on with 10 minutes to go.

Sponsors Man of the match Micheal Hanson