Cardiff secured a bonus point win over Regional rivals Pontypridd at the Arms Park in a game that contained two red cards.
Cardiff were first on the scoreboard. Playing into a strong wind and drizzle they worked their way into the Ponty twenty-two and were awarded a penalty that Jacob Beetham slotted. The visitors were soon level when Josh Phillips was on target to level the scores, but the game changed with the first of the red cards. Ben Burnell hoisted a high kick into the Cardiff half. Beetham was underneath it and held onto the ball whilst being hit hard by former Cardiff centre Ryan Wilkins. Referee Ben Breakspear was alerted to foul play by TMO Greg Morgan and on review decided that the tackle was high and had head contact and sent Wilkins for an early shower.
Beetham remained on the field and was part of some heroic Cardiff defence that repelled the now fourteen men of Ponty on the Cardiff line. They did how ever grab the lead after Phillips landed his third attempt at goal.
Then followed the next red card. A lineout in the Cardiff half wasn’t gathered cleanly and as the ball bounced up Dewi Cross jumped to gather. As he came down Curtis Greenslade tackled him in the air and allowed him to drop onto his head. Another review by the referee deemed the tackle as avoidable and dangerous, and Greenslade went to join Wilkins in the changing rooms.
Cardiff looked to take advantage of the reduced numbers but Ponty were still attacking. But when the ball went on the floor it was picked up and moved wide to Jason Harries. His kick ended up crossing the touchline in the Ponty twenty-two for a 50-22.
From the lineout the Blue & Blacks drove at the Ponty line but the maul was stopped. After a few pick and drives the momentum seemed to have stopped only for Ethan Phillips to emerge from the back of the ruck, break three tackle and plough over to send the home side into half time 8-6 ahead.
With the wind behind them in the second half Cardiff were looking to make their advantage count, but it took nearly twenty minutes for the next score to come. In between Ponty frustrated Cardiff although the Blue & Blacks made plenty of unforced errors which didn’t help.
A missed kick to touch by Burnell allowed Cardiff to clear their lines and set up an attacking platform in the Ponty half. And when the forwards rumbled a maul towards the Ponty line it look like they would score. But the visitors held firm There was, however, a massive overlap that Cardiff looked to exploit. The first attempt ended in white line fever, but when a long pass from Tom Habberfield found Jacob Lloyd he was able to scoot across near the corner flag. Harrison James converted.
Cardiff were now dominating both possession and territory although the third try was eluding them. James extended the Cardiff lead just on sixty five minutes before Ponty got back into the game in what was a rare attack, Joe Miles going over for a converted try.
That spurred Cardiff on and when Ponty cleared the kick off to just outside their twenty-two the lineout was driven back towards the line. It was stopped short but Habberfield made yards before being stopped short. Cardiff then drove again and again at the line before the ball was moved wide for James to score a try that he also converted.
Ponty had another chance to get back into the game when they kicked a penalty to the corner, but it was burgled by Cardiff and the lines cleared. The home side had five minutes to secure the bonus point try and spent most of that time in the Ponty half. Ponty did have one attack, but when that broke down James fired a 50-22 to set up the chance for the fourth try. With 20 seconds left Cardiff took a scrum penalty in the centre of the field fifteen metres out. After three resets Cardiff moved the ball wide. Lloyd was stopped metres short but the ball was recycled and move back into centre field where Luke Pollock delivered the Christmas present the home fans had wanted.
Cardiff jumped to fourth in the table and now face the long trip north next weekend to play RGC.