Dafydd Lockyer - Ponty v Bedwas

What an utterly bonkers game of rugby this was!

We have previous with Bedwas, last years home and away fixtures were try-fests. The games finishing 26:48 and 55:27 to Ponty.

Today we had the mere ten tries and 73 points (42:31 to Ponty). The strange thing is I wouldn't have been complaining too loudly if that score was reversed. Bedwas outplayed us at the scrum for most of the game, and scored some cracking tries. Ponty had a player yellow carded on the 8th minute and we didn't touch the ball hardly at all during that period. Bedwas running in two tries. Our territorial time was boosted by the time it took for us to take to two conversions, from two tries against the run of play as we headed to half time. One of the tries a spectacular solo effort from our own 22 yard line by Rhys Shellard.

A penalty to Bedwas gave them a lead at half time lead of 21-19. I have no idea how we were in the game. But 40 minutes with six tries and end to end frenetic action optimises to me what the Principality Premiership rugby is all about.

The second half was no less bonkers. Bedwas once again getting a penalty from a collapse scrum to add to the penalty try they got in the first half, Ponty had a hill to climb again. They reduced the deficit by driving Bedwas off their own put in and running in a try. It was that kind of game.

Despite the scoreline making it look like we had a comfortable win, Ponty didn't actually take the lead until about five minutes from the end, with another excellent team try. The victory was sealed with minutes to go, and for the second week running we had come through a test with a win. There's work to be done though. Our set pieces look shakey at best. There's not a lot of time to work on things as we have a game Wednesday against Bridgend.

The 2013/14 season is up and running and I have a feeling it won't be as processional as last season for us!

More pictures are up on my Flickr site.