RGC 27 Pontypridd 29
Saturday 13th April 2024
RGC again snatched a defeat from a winning lead, as Ponty grab 2 tries late on to claim the victory,
Pontypridd started on the attack and pushed for the opening score, as RGC were on the end of the referee's whistle early doors. Those penalties were pushing Ponty forward and they did get the try when the ball shifted wide and winger Lial Loyd strolled over.
The Gogs answered back with a Sam Earl-Jones penalty as the niggle between both sides increased.
That spilled over when Billy McQueeney and Kristan Paker were shown yellow cards and it was 14 men each for 10 minutes.
Efan Jones was sparking some attacks, and looking lively with ball in hand,
Sam Earl-Jones had the chance with another penalty but the kick edged wide from distance.
The game was waiting for someone to open up the field, and when RGC went through some good phases they were rewarded with the try when Gareth Parry went over from close range. Earl-Jones added the extras.
From the restart, Ponty got back into the game, and the scoreboard ticked over when Garyn Smith set up his centre partner Ryan Smith with the try. Ben Burnell hit the conversion.
The Gogs were finding some space, but when they broke they couldn’t find that next pass to create an opening
RGC went close just before the break when the scrum rolled on, but Ponty came away with the penalty and the 2 point lead.
The 2nd half opened with RGC making some inroads and they retained the lead with a Sam Earl-Jones penalty from in front of the posts.
Rhodri King grabbed hold of a loose Ponty throw, Rhys Tudor took it on and went under the posts. Earl-Jones hit the 2 points.
RGC’s defence had a zip about it, and they were closing down Pontypridd’s backline much quicker and forcing some errors from the visitors.
The penalty count swung back in Ponty’s favour and after they kicked to touch, the driving lineout picked up plenty of bodies and rumbled over the line to score. Burnell’s penalty hit the post.
Ponty’s lineout was misfiring, and it was proving costly on more than one occasion.
Try number 3 came from a scrum, and the ball was worked to the backline before Afon Bagshaw collected, stepped, saw the space and went over to score. Earl-Jones hit the conversion.
Burnell was the attacking danger for the visitors, as on occasions managed to create the space.
Dion Jones worked a pass to Sam Stoddard but the winger failed to take the ball when the space was infront of him.
The Gogs backline were taking the ball and wining the collisions as both Bagshaw and Stoddard ran hard and made the gain line to ease any pressure.
At that point RGC looked in control and composed with a 10 point lead, but that all changed in the last 5 minutes, and again RGC will look back at how they let that happen.
Pontypridd worked the ball well, soft hands, quick passes and Wilkins got his 2nd try of the game. Scrivens added the extras.
A minute later Pontypridd break down the field and Bagshaw manged volley the ball into touch.
This time the visitor’s lineout fired, and from the maul they grabbed the try and the lead with minutes to go.
As the clock ticked down, RGC went through the phases, kept the ball but couldn’t past the halfway line. They needed to keep the ball, but a kick to touch ended the game.
Head Coach Ceri Jones “Again it’s frustrating for all, players, coaches and supporters. I thought we should have had more points in the 1st half, and not the focus on what happened in the final 10 minutes. If we had built that score then the 2nd half would have been different. We should have been better in defence that opening 40, as we were slow defensively and they got two easy tries.
We again just lacked composure at times and it cost us. We were in a position to win, with a 10-point lead and even when they scored the option to kick and chase was the right one, but what happened after that cost us. They were able to go 70 yards down the field from a mis- tackle and they get the lineout and maul. Having the composure is what was needed, and we didn’t have that clarity.
I am gutted, the players are emotional after that result, as we are desperately working hard to get that win for the supporters”
Follow us:
