Lloyd on target to floor Pontypridd

EVAN Lloyd put the boot into Pontypridd as he kicked Ebbw Vale back into a red hot contest at Eugene Cross Park before steering the Steelmen to a 31-21 victory in the Premiership.

- ROB COLE

Premiership round-up

The home side had given Merthyr a 21 point lead at The Wern on the opening weekend before reeling them back in to take a losing bonus point and this time they allowed Ponty to build a 15 point advantage.

Former Cardiff Rugby centre Ryan Wilkins played a part in two early tries for the visitors as he firstly sent Dale Stuckey into the left corner and then finished off a free-flowing move that had started in his own 22.

Josh Phillips converted the latter and then added a penalty to make it 150. Lloyd then got started and kicked two penalties of his own before converting a Lewis Young driving maul score to cut the gap to two points.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, Phillips launched a long-range effort that made it 18-13 to Ponty. That lead didn't last long after the break as wing Ryan Davies crossed for Lloyd to improve.

Then the home outside half picked a penalty and dropped a goal to take his match tally to 16 points. Opposite number Phillips kept the game very much alive with another penalty before No.8 Ryan Jenkins rounding off proceedings with a third home try.