SRC Cup holders Llandovery took another important step towards retaining their title when they edged out Pontypool in a topsy-turvy semi-final at Church Bank.

They will face Newport in the final this Saturday after the Black and Ambers beat Ebbw Vale 48–34 - after extra time - in an ill-tempered all-Gwent battle.

It was not until the final moment of a rousing, fiercely competitive cup tie that Llandovery clinched victory, when Ioan Hughes kicked a high and handsome 40-metre penalty to rob Pooler of a famous cup upset.

The fly-half - brother of former Scarlets and Dragons captain Steffan Hughes - had already contributed 18 points from a try, two conversions and three penalties, and kept his composure to put over the crucial goal.

Pooler had come back, bravely and brutally, from a 23–10 deficit to take the lead 24–23 with just two minutes to go but, in an attempt to run down the clock, they were penalised at the ruck to allow Hughes to turn the tables.

The Drovers had been in control for 65 minutes but, when flanker Osian Davies was yellow-carded for a high tackle on No 8 Morgan Allen, the Pooler forwards took over in tight and loose.

Two tries in five minutes from wing Ewan Rosser and full-back Huw Anderson had turned the game on its head, only for poor decision-making at the death to swing the result.

“We had to dig deep to survive,” said coach Euros Evans, “As we were really on the back foot after Osian’s yellow card, but the boys kept their nerve to force a mistake and allow Ioan to win the day.

“The win keeps our momentum going in cup and league and all players, coaches and supporters can look forward to an intriguing end to the season.

“Only us and Newport now have a chance of the double and we are delighted to be part of two very exciting months of rugby.

“We know that we will have to improve our game but, with a fit squad, we will give it all we can.”

A penalty from fly-half and captain Kieran Meek gave the visitors the lead but an electric burst of speed and chistera pass from centre Corey Baldwin put wing Harri Doel in at the corner.

Hughes’s fine conversion off the post made it 7–3 but, soon after, home prop Jamie Hughes was yellow-carded near his own line and Allen barged through for a try - converted by Meek - for a 10–7 lead against the run of play.

Against the odds and down to 14 men, Llandovery scored a try when hooker Cameron Lewis burst through the middle before sending his fly-half in under the posts.

With lock Joe Powell consistently pinching Pooler line-out ball and the pack in control, Hughes kicked three more penalties to seemingly settle the issue.

Not a bit of it, for as soon as Davies was yellow-carded, the visitors upped the tempo, re-energised by a new front row and fly-half in Harri Ford.

Chunky flanker Scott Matthews worked in wing Ewan Rosser before full-back Huw Anderson showed pace to run through a gap, both tries converted by Ford.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and Hughes - helped or not by the divine presence in the stands of the club’s biretta-cassocked new chaplain, Father Neil Hook - brought his match total to 21 points with the last kick of the game, amid a funereal Church Bank silence.

The SRC Cup final between Llandovery and Newport will be played on Saturday, March 7, at Cardiff Arms Park (KO time to be confirmed).

Llandovery

Tries: H Doel, I Hughes

Cons: I Hughes (2)

Pens: I Hughes (4)

Pontypool

Tries: M Allen, E Rosser, H Anderson

Cons: H Ford (2), K Meek

Pen: K Meek

Llandovery: K Abraham; H Doel, C Baldwin, Adam Warren L Morgan; I Hughes, L Rees (capt); J Hughes, C Lewis, B Watkins, G Evans, J Powell, E Sheldon, O Davies, Sc Worrall

Replacements: D Dallavalle, F Thomas, A Morgan, H Holden, T Sparrow, R Jones, J Maynard, G MacDonald

Pontypool: H Anderson; E Rosser, P Lewis, J Mahoney, C McDonough; K Meek (capt), L Franklin; D Kelleher-Griffiths, S Scarfe, O Popple, J Davies, D Hill, S Matthews, M Allen , R Jones

Replacements: J Wisniewski, A James, K Best, B Bodkin, M Jones, E Davies, H Ford, I Evans