Ponty remain on course to retain Cup

Pontypridd will return to the Millennium Stadium next month to try and retain the Swalec Cup after overcoming plucky Newbridge 28-24 in a pulsating semi-final at the Arms Park yesterday.

The holders sneaked past the Division One East side to secure a return to the capital on Bank Holiday Monday May 7.

But title-chasing Ponty were pushed all the way by a mightily impressive Newbridge, who ended the game on the front foot.

Pontypridd deservedly led 18-8 at the break but they didn’t have things all their own way against the Division One East side.

In fact, Newbridge were the first to cross the try line when wing Ceri Young scored in the corner to make it 5-3 after 11 minutes.

But Ponty responded with a pushover try by lock Cory Hill and a lovely effort by Matthew Nuthall down the left wing plus five more points from the boot of fly-half Lewis K Williams.

‘Bridge outside half Neil Burnett added a penalty in the final minute of the half and, after Williams had scored a converted try just minutes after the restart, added another pair to make it 25-14 with half an hour remaining.

Williams eased some Ponty nerves with a penalty but back came Newbridge to make it a seven-point game when Burnett put Young under the sticks for his second.

Burnett, a former Ponty player, inched the underdogs even closer with a 75^th-minute penalty but they couldn’t quite force a huge upset.