A late drop goal by replacement fly-half Simon Humberstone claimed a 16-13 victory for Pontypridd over Bedwas in the Principality Premiership at Sardis Road.
Bedwas battled hard and deserved, at least, the losing bonus point they earned.
The game started at a whirlwind pace and home outside-half Lewis K Williams landed the first points with a penalty after four minutes.
Barely three minutes later it got worse for Bedwas as Pontypridd’s number eight, Jack Davies, scored after a mistake in midfield. Williams’s conversion hit the upright.
Bedwas got back into the game with a Richard Powell penalty, but Ponty had all the possession and momentum.
Bedwas defended as though their lives depended upon it and both fly-halves missed penalty chances before Bedwas’ Crimmins was sin binned for a high tackle. Po
Pontypridd profited with an unconverted try from scrum half Tom Williams. Lewis K Williams missed a further penalty chance as Pontypridd turned the screw and for a while Bedwas were under the cosh and clinging on, but the home side could not turn their dominance into points.
Just before half time Bedwas hauled themselves back into the game when Arron Pinches took a quick tap penalty ten metres out and ran in unopposed, Powell added the conversion and the Bedwas went into the interval only three points behind.
Both sides struggled for fluency in the second half as replacements came on and defences ruled the roost. Four minutes after the restart Pinches became the second Bedwas player to be sin-binned, again for a high tackle, but the defence held strong and Pontypridd could not find a way through.
Powell missed a penalty chance after 51 minutes but made amends one minute later to tie up the scores. Both sides cancelled each other out and neither could conjure up a game clinching try.
With the clock running down Simon Humberstone slotted over a drop goal to clinch the win for the home side, leaving Bedwas to ponder what could have been, although a valuable bonus point was gained.
Bedwas now face another two week lay-off as the Autumn internationals begin.
Their next game is against Bridgend at the Brewery Field, on Sunday November 16 at 2.30pm.