Davey keeps Ponty in touch

Wasps 34 Pontypridd 19

They left it very late, but finally an unconvincing Wasps side managed to pull clear of tenacious and far from outclassed Pontypridd. But on this showing Wasps will have their work cut out at Sardis Road in a fortnight in the second leg of this Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final.

Both sides had been hit by injuries late in the day. Wasps lost a trio of England players; Josh Lewsey (calf strain), Phil Greening (infected knee) and Simon Shaw (stiff neck). But Pontypridd's loss was probably the the more critical though, since it was Neil Jenkins, the world-record points scorer, who aggravated a calf injury last week.

As sharp as Wasps looked going forward they seemed remarkably flabby in defence, as Ceri Sweeney might testify after what was almost a walk-through for Pontypridd's first try. Wasps' full-back, Mark van Gisbergen, inexplicably relinquished his hold after tackling Sweeney, who then waltzed through the a swarm of Wasps "defenders" without a hand being laid on him.

But by then Wasps had scored two tries. The first a close-range effort from Craig Dowd, the second the result of a piece of foolishness by Ponty's captain, Gareth Baber. When centre Jonathan Bryant's wild pass was hacked on by Rob Howley, the Wasps' scrum-half chased through and kicked further ahead, only to find himself pulled back by Baber. Referee Alain Rolland promptly awarded a penalty try.

Sweeney's try closed the gap and Brett Davey, who had converted, landed a penalty, but Wasps regrouped and after Howley was thwarted Dowd rumbled over again and Alex King knocked over his third conversion.

Davey closed the gap 10 minutes into the second half, when Wasps' makeshift lock, Peter Scrivener, was penalised for a professional foul; since he had just been warned for use of hands at a ruck he was lucky not to be sin-binned.

Although King countered with a penalty of his own, the Wasps flanker Mark Lock was then penalised for hanging on to the ball and Davey did his stuff. Much later King landed a second penalty.

Thankfully for the London side, their burly wing John Rudd thundered over for a try in the 73rd minute to put the first leg, but not the overall outcome, beyond doubt. A fact that was underlined by Davey's fourth penalty in added time.

Wasps: M van Gisbergen; J Rudd, F Waters (A Erinle, 66), S Abbott, K Logan; A King, R Howley; C Dowd, T Leota, W Green, P Scrivener, R Birkett, J Worsley, L Dallaglio (capt), M Lock.

Pontypridd: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant, E Lewis; C Sweeney, G Baber (capt); G Jenkins, M Davies, D Bell, B Cockbain (N Kelly, 45-52; W O'Connor, 77), R Sidoli, G Lewis (N Kelly, 52), M Owen, R Parks.

Referee: A Rolland (Ire).