Indigo Group Premiership Cup

DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE AS BURNELL PUNISHES THE IRONMEN

PONTYPRID 21 MERTHYR 14 INDIGO CUP 3^RD ROUND

(Saturday 2^nd October 2021 Sardis Road Pontypridd)

This game was won and lost in the first 5 minutes of the first half and second halves. It was an all-round disappointing result for the current premiership champions who somehow lost their way especially in the second half where they failed to score any points. The game started with the home side on the attack straight from the kick-off and after several drives from the home forwards young outside half Ben Burnell spot a gap in the Merthyr defense and a fine cross kick to the far corner was gathered by wingman Dale Stuckey who found space to catch the kick and dive over to open the scoring for the home side, Burnell just going wide with the conversion. As Merthyr settled into the game their pack began to get the upper hand especially at the set piece and put the home side under pressure and following a forward drive home prop Ben Stephens was yellow carded for use of an elbow at a ruck. Merthyr kicked for the corner and put the Pontypridd scum under pressure and after several pick up and drives from Captain Craig Locke supported by number 8 Phil Rees and back row man Tom Daley the Merthyr pack drove towards the Pontypridd line and when home hooker Nathan Hush pulled the drive down Referee Gareth Newman awarded a penalty try and sent Hush to the sin bin for minutes and Pontypridd were down to 13 men. Merthyr looked to have extended their lead when a fine run from wingman Ashley Norton who crashed over in the corner was adjudged to have a foot in touch and the try was disallowed.  With extra Men Merthyr took control and it was not long before they extended their lead further when a line-out deep inside the Pontypridd half was won by second row Callum Bradbury the pack drove at Pontypridd and when the ball was quickly released it found center Tom Pascoe in space to touch down under the posts, outside half Gareth Thompson converted and the ironmen led 5-14 going into half time. A kick down field was gathered by Merthyr full back Ben Jones and has he returned the kick it was charged down by home full back Lloyd Rowland’s who hacked the kick up field and win the race for the touchdown, Burnell converted, and the home side had closed the gap to 12-14. The Merthyr 8 kept the pressure on the home scrum with some decisions not going their way were soon punished with Burnell slotting over two consecutive penalties in the space of 5 minutes to give the home side a 18-14 lead. As the game reach the last quarter Merthyr threw everything at Pontypridd looking for the all-important score with wave after wave of forward drives close to the Ponty line and some how the home defense held strong. Things then got worse for the ironmen when they were penalized for not releasing at the tackle and up stepped Burnell to convert his third penalty and give Ponty a 7-point lead 21-14. Back came the ironmen looking for the all-important score as they camped on the Pontypridd line and once again wave after wave of forward drives were kept out by the home defense who were penalized several times which resulted in home number 8 Evan Lloyd being shown a yellow card, but to their credit the Ponty defense held firm to run out winners in a tight first local derby win of the season. The ironmen must wounder how they failed to score in the second half following all the forward pressure. This was a disappointing result for the ironmen who have failed to show their true form so far this season. Once again Captain Locke led from the front well supported by Daley, McBride and good ball carrying skills from number 8 Phil Rees. Behind the scrum, half backs Hoskins and outside half Thompson linked well but a lot of passing went astray outside them. It doesn’t get any easier for the ironmen as they travel to the inform side Newport this weekend followed by a home game against league leaders Cardiff.

MERTHYR: 15 B Jones, 14 A Webber, 13 H Thompson,12 T Pascoe, 11 A Norton, 10 G Thompson, 9 A Hoskins, 1 J Howe, 2 D Wall, 3 C Phillips, 4 C Locke© 5 C Bradbury,6 P Mc Bride, 7 T Daley, 8 P Rees. 16 A Hughes,17 R Lewis, 18 O Rees, 19 S O’Rourke, 20 J Perkins, 21 R Pritchard, 22 R Davies, 23 J Cushion.

Scorers Penalty try, T Pascoe1t, G Thompson 1c

Referee Gareth Newman (WRU).