Llangennech 19-27 Pontypridd – Match Report

It was a damp and drizzly day on the Loughor estuary as Pontypridd came calling, but the journey a productive one for the Valley Commandos as they came away with a 19pts to 27 victory from a hard fought encounter.

Ponty were straight out of the blocks, launching a dynamic wide attack with winger Joe Davies going close to scoring. The visitors continued to press and following a series of forward drives, sent flanker Iestyn Harris over from close range, his try converted from in front of the posts by Jaydan Pugh. Handling and kicking errors were being made by both sides in the dismal conditions, along with injury delays making for a stop-start first ten minutes. Sensing the need to put points on the board, Ponty nominated full back Dale Stuckey to kick for the posts from just inside his own half, which he duly did. Llangennech responded with a series of penalty kicks to touch and attacking scrums, with Ponty hooker Connah Hughes yellow carded for infringing and from a big scrummage, home no8 Jordan Saunders powering over for a try which Osian Evans converted. The visitors were next to advance, but yielding up possession in contact with tensions boiling over into a set-to amongst both sets of forwards.

There was a series of re-set scrums in the deteriorating conditions before Llangennech composed themselves to clear their lines. A pick up and charge by Joe Miles again put Ponty on the front foot with Garyn Smith orchestrating play with his tactical kicking. The contest was pretty much a stalemate as it reached the half hour mark, both sides enjoying periods of possession but struggling for continuity, the ball often spilled or spliced. A Dale Stuckey kick and chase gave Ponty momentum before they settled for a Jaydan Pugh penalty right on the stroke of half time to increase their lead to 7pts to 13.

HALF TIME: Llangennech 7-13 Pontypridd

The rain clouds passed over as the game resumed and it was Llangennech who made the most of the improving conditions, pressing forward through numerous phases before winger Louis Rees kicked and gathered to claim an opportunist try out wide which went unconverted. As Ponty muscled their way back to the home line there was a pile-up from which a player from each side was sin-binned, opposing back rowers Jordan Saunders and Iestyn Harris. The visitors remained camped in home territory but conceding penalties to yield the initiative. Joel Raikes then forged a telling half break but a scoring opportunity lost to a knock-on with the game balanced on a knife-edge going into its final quarter.

Ponty were at this stage dominating proceedings and following a line-out drive and a series of ensuing shunts, moved the ball wide for hooker Louis Tovey to cross for a crucial try on his debut which Jaydan Pugh converted from the touchline. A kick and rush foray instigated by Dale Stuckey allowed Ponty to maintain territorial advantage only for Llangennech to wrestle a turnover to counter, with all the makings of a tense climax to come. Just getting the better of the dogfight, Ponty drove hard into the home half then whipped the ball out to midfield where winger Joe Davies cut through to score a try which replacement Rhodri Smith converted. Llangennech had been valiant in their efforts throughout and finished the game strongly, in dramatic fashion as scrum half Tom Morgan cruised in for an interception try, just as a mass brawl broke out between both packs, with centre Ellis Thomas converting after everything had settled down. So the final whistle blew on what had been an intriguing encounter with Ponty claiming a third successive win of the new season this time by 19pts to 27.

FULL TIME: Llangennech 19-27 Pontypridd

Match report – Guto Davies (20/9/2025)

LLANGENNECH:

15.Tiaan Evans. 14.Callum Woolley (Tyler Davies). 13.Gryff Watkins. 12.Ellis Thomas. 11.Louis Rees. 10.Osian Evans (Wil Thomas). 9.Tom Morgan.

1.Iestyn Jones (Gruff Williams). 2.Tom Curry (Llion Jones). 3.Aneurin Morgan (Brandon Lee). 4.Jordan Evans. 5.Kai Jones (Finlay Cooke). 6.Lloyd Pike. 7.Shaun Edwards (c) (Brychan Thomas). 8.Jordan Saunders.

Subs: 16.Llion Jones. 17.Gruff Williams. 18.Brandon Lee. 19.Finlay Cooke. 20.Brychan Thomas. 21.Thomas Davies. 22.Wil Thomas. 23.Tyler Davies.

Tries: Jordan Saunders (20); Louis Rees (47); Tom Morgan (80+2)

Cons: Osian Evans (21); Ellis Thomas (80+4)

Yellow Card: Jordan Saunders (51)                                                                                                    

PONTYPRIDD:

15.Dale Stuckey. 14.Iwan Griffith (Jude Williams). 13.Callum Coxley. 12.Garyn Smith. 11.Joe Davies. 10.Jaydan Pugh (Rhodri Smith). 9.Joel Raikes (c) (Lloyd Dennett).

1.Ben Drew (Ben Stephens). 2.Connah Hughes (Louis Tovey). 3.Dan Cotterell (Kian Mattravers). 4.Joe Miles (Joe Buckle). 5.Kristian Parker. 6.Cai James. 7.Iestyn Harris. 8.Jordan Coxley (Louis Tovey temp / Cally James).

Subs: 16.Louis Tovey. 17.Ben Stephens. 18.Kian Mattravers. 19.Joe Buckle. 20.Cally James. 21.Lloyd Dennett. 22.Rhodri Smith. 23.Jude Williams.

Tries: Iestyn Harris (6); Louis Tovey (64); Joe Davies (76)

Cons: Jaydan Pugh (7, 65); Rhodri Smith (76)

Pens: Dale Stuckey (13); Jaydan Pugh (40)

Yellow Cards: Connah Hughes (16); Iestyn Harris (51)                                                                           

Referee:  Amber Stamp-Dunstan           AR3:  Mark Davis

 

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