WELSH PREMIERSHIP Caerphilly (5) 15 Tries: D Davies, R Howells. Con: J Thomas. Pen: Thomas. Pontypridd (0) 17 Tries: P John, M Rees. Cons: N Jenkins (2). Pen: Jenkins. Att: 1,200

Trailing the home side, Rees scratched the ball from a pile of bodies to grab the vital touchdown and win the game for Ponty.

Caerphilly, with one mind on next weekend's Parker Pen Shield final, should have won.

Justin Thomas, Caerphilly's outside-half, will rue an easy penalty miss in the 74th minute which would have put his team two scores in front.

Despite the defeat, the Cheesemen avoided finishing bottom of the Welsh Premiership, thanks to Newport's win over Ebbw Vale and a superior try count.

Caerphilly were up for it and made things very hard for us. Pontypridd's Neil Jenkins

Both sides attempted to spread the ball around the Virginia Park pitch, but with the rain and wind also to contend with, the game never really sparked into life.

Paul John was Ponty's other try scorer, while Neil Jenkins added two conversions and a wonderfully struck 50-metre penalty.

Knowing they had to add to their try count, Caerphilly tried to open the scoring early on.

But the only reward for their efforts was a try from lock Darren Davies.

Full-back Ryan Davies did cross for another in the second half, but Mark Ring's side failed to convert a number of other try-scoring chances.

Ponty never gave up, and with the game well into injury time they forced a scrum near the home line.

Hooker Matthew Rees grabbed the vital touchdown which Neil Jenkins duly converted to break Caerphilly hearts.

Caerphilly: Ryan Howells; Geraint Lewis, Rob Higgitt, Roddy Boobyer, Taumaholo Taufahema; Justin Thomas, Allen Chilten; Lee Manning, Feaon Vunupola , Darren Sweet, Darren Davies, Paul Jones, Gareth Jones, Joe El-Abd, Mark Workman.
Replacements: Fionn McLoughlon, Jarrod Murphy, Simon Grainger, Chris Ferris, Robert Bilton, Neil Watkins, Geraint Liddon.

Pontypridd: Gareth Wyatt; Matthew Nuttall, Shaun James, Jason Lewis, Emyr Lewis; Neil Jenkins, Paul John; Neil Hennessey, Matthew Rees, Duncan Bell, Brent Cockbain, Watkins, Kingsley Jones, Wayne O'Conner, Lee Beech.
Replacements: Dale Burn, Brett Davey, Richard Johnson, Wiltshire, Sven Cronk, Gwilyn, G Evans.

Ref: Paul Adams