Pontypridd 41
Glasgow Reds 18
When this game was first played before Christmas, Glasgow were in the midst of one of their most accomplished performances on Welsh soil before a deluge and consequent abandonment left Richie Dixon's side frustrated.
However, the Reds must have travelled with hopes of completing the job at Sardis Road last night, particularly in light of their win at Newport 10 days ago. Alas, such thoughts were dispelled as the Jekyll & Hyde nature of the Scottish superdistrict returned to haunt them.
Leading after an early Tommy Hayes penalty, Caley surrendered the initative through a sequence of errors. The Welsh side drew level in 15 minutes, and there could be few complaints from Caley full back Glenn Metcalfe, who was penalised for a high tackle on Richard Field.
The Ponty flanker was immediately taken off, while Brett Davey made the penalty count.
The home full back struck again two minutes later, and the balance of power switched in favour of the men from the Principality when they grabbed the game's first try in 24 minutes.
The score came from a rare Caley attack when Jon Stuart's kick ahead was charged down by Funi Vunipola. He looked up to find Richard Johnston in support, and his pace left Hayes beaten.
Then Pontypridd swept forward in a move which enabled Davey to deliver the scoring pass to Ceri Sweeney. Davey popped over his third successful kick of the night.
Caley winger Rory Kerr threw the Scots a lifeline when he ran past Davey to score in a corner, but the kick gave Hayes too much to do.
Davey slotted over a penalty before another Sweeney try, converted by Davey, put the Welsh in easy street.
Pontypridd: B Davey; J Colderley, S Parker, J Lewis, R Johnston; C Sweeney (L Jarvis 65), P John (capt); C Loader (P Graham 64), F Vunipola, S Cronk (G Jenkins 64), W James, R Sidoli, R Parks, M Owen, R Field (J Evans 49). Subsstitutes: R Neville, L Jarvis, P Graham, J Evans, M Lloyd, L Woodard, G Jenkins.
Glasgow Caledonians: G Metcalfe; J McLaren, A Bulloch (J Steel 57), J Stuart, R Kerr; T Hayes, A Nicol (capt); D Hilton (L Harrison 72), G Bulloch, G McIlwham, C Stewart, G Perrett (R Reid 66), G Simpson, J Petrie, G Flockhart. Substitutes: G Scott, L Harrison, R Reid, D Macfadyen, F Stott, J Steel, B Irving.
Referee - N Owens (Pontyberem)
Scoring Sequence: 0-3, 3-3, 6-3, 11-3, 18-3, 18-8, 21-8 (HT); 28-8, 28-13, 31-13, 34-13, 34-18, 41-18.
Scorers: Pontypridd: Tries - Johnston (24), Sweeney (30 and 41), Vunipola (80). Conversions - Davey (30, 41, 80). Penalties - Davey (15, 17, 40, 55, 78)
Glasgow : Tries - Kerr (35), McLaren (48), Hayes (80). Penalties - Hayes (7).
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