Pontypridd 57-32 Llanelli Wanderers – Match Report

Pontypridd recorded a morale boosting bonus point win in their first ever encounter against Llanelli Wanderers, seeing off their valiant opponents by 57pts to 32 after a frenetic try-fest at Sardis Road.

The scoreboard was activated as Ponty were penalised at a maul, Nick Gale putting over the resultant kick from distance to give the visitors an early lead. The home team were eager to keep the ball in hand, generating wide attacks, but always wary of the Wanderers’ threat on the counter. The Ponty breakthrough came from top of the line-out ball, winger Joe Davies slicing through in midfield to score a try which Jorge Lucey converted. That lead was immediately trimmed back as Gale hoisted over another penalty, the contest by now struggling to ignite with the referee’s whistle prevalent. The home pack were scrummaging strongly to set a platform from which to advance, with penalties being kicked to touch and from a line-out drive, hooker Louis Tovey the trailer behind the truck to claim a try. Ponty were by now in the ascendancy, launching dynamic wide attacks then from a five metre scrum, powering over the whitewash for Joe Miles to dab down with Lucey converting from a wide angle.

The Valley Commandos were marauding and harrying across the pitch to claim turnovers, setting up a position for back rower Iestyn Harris to burst through under the posts with Lucey again adding the extras. Having been on the back foot for some time the Wanderers strove hard to get back into contention but time and again thwarted by an aggressive home defence, Ponty holding out to the interval with a 26pts to 6 advantage.

HALF TIME: Pontypridd 26-6 Llanelli Wanderers

The Llanelli side posed an early threat after the break, pouncing on to a loose bounce to go close in the corner, then continuing to press hard to the home line before the referee awarded a penalty try, with defender Joe Miles directed to the sin-bin. Ponty’s response was an emphatic one, advancing from a line-out drive then shipping the ball wide for full back Dale Stuckey to dart over for an unconverted try. Both sides were enjoying periods of possession and pressure, the game often fast and loose with errors committed all around. Ponty had another line-out drive held up just short before Iestyn Harris powered over from close range, his try well converted by Jaydan Pugh.

As the Wanderers once more advanced, Ponty lock Lloyd Riley was shown yellow allowing the visitors to capitalise on their one man advantage by driving hard into the home twenty-two, culminating in a try claimed by hooker Rhodri Owens and converted by Gale. There was a common theme to the game as both sides elected to kick penalties to touch then set up line-out drives, with Ponty making the most of their opportunities as prop Garyn Daniel powered over, his try converted by Pugh. The contest continued to ebb and flow, the Wanderers next to advance with an ambitious cross kick then setting up yet another line-out drive for replacement Sianco Morgan to ground over the whitewash. The scoreboard operator barely had time to sip his hot cocoa, Ponty spreading the ball wide to winger Joe Davies who dragged a few despairing tacklers with him over the line to score, Pugh’s conversion rebounding off an upright. It was attack and counter attack as the contest drew to a frantic close, Ponty centre Jack Davies cruising in for a debut try which Jaydan Pugh converted. Reflecting the unstructured nature of play, it was the Wanderers who had the last word as centre Aron Hemmings crossed for a close range consolation try, the conversion from Nick Gale registering a final scoreline of 57pts to 32.

FULL TIME: Pontypridd 57-32 Llanelli Wanderers

Match Report – Guto Davies (8/11/2025)

PONTYPRIDD:

15.Dale Stuckey (Charlie Hancock). 14.Joe Davies. 13.Jack Davies. 12.Garyn Smith (Jorge Lucey). 11.George Thorrington. 10.Jorge Lucey (Jaydan Pugh). 9.Lloyd Dennett (Lucus Welch).

1.Ben Stephens (Dan Cotterell). 2.Louis Tovey (Connah Hughes). 3.Kian Mattravers (Garyn Daniel). 4.Mitch Barnard. 5.Lloyd Riley. 6.Cai James (Joe Miles). 7.Cally James (c). 8.Iestyn Harris (Ethan Evans).

Subs: 16.Connah Hughes. 17.Dan Cotterell. 18.Garyn Daniel. 19.Ethan Evans. 20.Joe Miles. 21.Lucus Welch. 22.Jaydan Pugh. 23.Charlie Hancock.

Tries: Joe Davies (8, 72); Louis Tovey (17); Joe Miles (24); Iestyn Harris (26, 57); Dale Stuckey (51); Garyn Daniel (66); Jack Davies (75)

Cons: Jorge Lucey (9, 24, 27); Jaydan Pugh (58, 66, 76)

Yellow Cards: Joe Miles (47); Lloyd Riley (60)                                                                                                                                                   

LLANELLI WANDERERS:

15.Nick Gale. 14.Jac Hart. 13.Owain Davies (Aron Hemmings). 12.Rhydian Morgan (Jonny George). 11.Lee Watkins. 10.Rhys Harris. 9.Lucca Setaro.

1.Tom Phillips (Lewis Ellar). 2.Dion Roberts (Rhodri Owens). 3.Ben Harries (Alex Williams). 4.Sam Williams. 5.Ryan Evans. 6.Ben Chiffi (Luca Giannini). 7.Lewis Clayton (Sam Icke). 8.Callum Williams (c) (Sianco Morgan).

Subs: 16.Lewis Ellar. 17.Rhodri Owens. 18.Alex Williams. 19.Sianco Morgan. 20.Luca Giannini. 21Sam Icke.. 22.Aron Hemmings. 23.Jonny George.

Tries: Penalty (47); Rhodri Owens (62); Sianco Morgan (70); Aron Hemmings (79)

Cons: Nick Gale (62, 79)

Pens: Nick Gale (2, 11)                                                                                                                                                          

Referee: Amber Stamp-Dunston                         AR3: Rob Mota

Golden Bob Man of the Match: Cally James

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