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Pontypridd overcame the elements and a determined Merthyr side to advance to the semi-finals of the Swalec Cup, running out 6-5 winners at Sardis Road.

The hosts enjoyed the first real attack of the game when they were held up over the Merthyr tryline during the opening exchanges.

A driving maul close to the line was halted by the visitors and Ponty scrum half Lloyd Williams darted towards the line before being dragged down just short by Osian Davies.

The forwards carried it on and powered over the line but referee Craig Evans couldn't see a grounding with bodies everywhere.

Both teams struggled to get a foothold in the game with the rain lashing down, before the kicking game of Merthyr fly-half Dean Gunter began causing problems for the Pontypridd back three.

Watch: The awful conditions during Pontypridd v Merthyr

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Recap:

Merthyr enjoyed plenty of territory with their Premiership side persistently infringing and the visitors were soon in front.

With the half hour mark approaching, a powerful driving maul charged through the Pontypridd defence and Osian Davies was the man with the ball in his hands at the bottom of the pile.

The hosts responded with a penalty from Ceri Sweeney with six minutes remaining in the half, but it was the Championship side who went in leading at the break.

A change of kit was required for the hosts at half time with both sets of players trudging off caked in mud.

Referee Evans must have been considering whether or not the game could continue with standing water all over the field.

But out they came for the second 40 and captain Dafydd Lockyer soon had the home support cheering.

(Image: Huw Evans Agency)

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His scything break was eventually ushered into touch but the hosts would go on to enjoy a sustained spell of possession in the Merthyr half.

After missing an earlier shot at goal, Sweeney sorted his radar out to boot the hosts into the lead midway through the second half after former Pontypridd second row Craig Locke was pinged for going offside.

The visitors missed a big opportunity in the final 10 minutes when Pontypridd coughed the ball up in attack.

The ball was hacked through and Merthyr winger Terri Gee was racing after it, but he couldn't control it and the chance went begging.

Former Pontypridd fly-half Dean Gunter had a kick to win it late on, but struggled to get any purchase on it, kicking out of a puddle.

The visitors didn't go down without a fight and, but for a handful of missed penalties, they would have come away with the win.

But, in the final play, they coughed the ball up deep in the Pontypridd 22 and that was it.

Pontypridd advance in the cup, but only just.

Attendance: 4,800

Pontypridd

Tries:

Cons

Penalties: Ceri Sweeney (2)

Matthew Nuthall; Chris Clayton, Geraint Walsh, Dafydd Lockyer, Alex Webber; Ceri Sweeney, Lloyd Williams; Chris Phillips, Huw Dowden, Keiron Assiratti; Hemi Barnes, Owen Sheppeard; Jake Thomas, Rhys Shellard, Dan Godfrey

Replacement: Joel Raikes, Lewis K Williams, Bradley Coombes, Ashleigh James, Wayne O'Connor, Shaun O'Rourke, Jordan Grass, Corey Domachowski.

Merthyr

Tries: Osian Davies (27)

Cons:

Penalties:

Matthew Jarvis; Dan Parry, Tom Hiscock, David Bishop, Terri Gee; Dean Gunter, Rhys Downes; James Howe, Rhys Williams, Gary Powell; Craig Locke, Miles Normandale; Tom Daley, Osian Davies, Phil Rees

Replacements: Rhys James, Meurig Davies, Gary Way, Ben Murphy, Andy Powell, Martin Luckwell, Cameron Gardner, Adam Hoskins