02 Pontypridd V Ebbw Vale - League Game 28th March 2009

Injury-hit Ponty notch up nine tries
Mar 29 2009 Wales On Sunday

Pontypridd 51 - 12 Ebbw Vale

PONTYPRIDD started slowly but ended with a nine-try blitz and could have added more goal points if four different kickers had been nearer the mark.

Ebbw Vale took the lead with a Richard Wilkes try after five minutes and were only 17-5 down at the break.

But they fell apart as skipper Nathan Strong and his injury-hit Ponty side turned up the heat.

Strong gave another masterly performance, scoring two tries

Pontypridd coach Dale McIntosh gave respect to Ebbw Vale, saying: They showed spirit and I told the players at half time that we must not give them any rope.

Ebbw Vale coach Matthew McCarthy admitted: In the second half we were totally outplayed.

Pontypridd looked to be in trouble when, having started without several injured players, they then lost the excellent Kristian Baller after his 30th-minute try that put Ponty in front.

But on came 19-year-old full-back Gary Williams to play splendidly with a back division well marshalled by fly half Gareth McCarthy. After Wilkes opened the scoring, Pontys first attack brought prop Sam Hobbs a try and, when Baller put them ahead, McCarthy added a third before the interval.

In the second half, once hooker Leighton Davies had crashed over in the 46th minute, Ebbw Vale fell away.

Strong took over and replacement flanker Rhys Lloyd touched down after being on the field for just 20 seconds, with Strong then going over himself.

Replacement Simon Pengelly reduced the arrears but lock Grant Harrington, Strong from an interception and wing Owen Williams from a clever McCarthy kick added further Ponty tries.

It was a win that took Ponty closer to a top-six finish.

Pontypridd: Tries N Strong 2, S Hobbs, K Baller, G McCarthy, L Davies, R Lloyd, G Harrington, O Williams; cons G Williams 2, A Thomas.
Ebbw Vale: Tries R Wilkes, S Pengelly; con D Langdon.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Pontypridd
• RFC
• Ponty
• Rugby
• Wales
• Ebbw
• Vale
• Nathan
• Strong
• Paul
• John
• Dale
• Mcintosh