Pontypridd's 14-point cushion proved too much for Leeds whose debut European campaign was brought to a close despite their battling draw at Headingley on Saturday afternoon.

The Tykes went down 37-23 in the first leg at Sardis Road last weekend and the aggregate score was enough to see Pontypridd through to the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Leeds looked capable of meeting the challenge laid down by their Welsh opponents for much of the match - they led 16-9 at the interval - but they ran out of steam towards the end when Pontypridd staged their fightback.

A 74th-minute try from Brett Davey dealt the killer blow to Leeds and the touchdown capped a fine afternoon for the full-back who turned in a flawless kicking display.

Former Springbok Braam van Straaten booted 14 points for the Tykes while scrum-half Alan Dickens crossed in the first half.

Pontypridd's 14-point advantage had virtually disappeared by the seventh minute.

Van Straaten made the initial inroads with two quickfire penalties, the second of which sailed between the uprights from some 55 metres out.

Dickens' converted try then took the Tykes to within a single point, with the slippery number nine breaking from a scrum near the visitors' 22 and shrugging off several Pontypridd tacklers before crossing.

Two penalties from Davey put Pontypridd back in the driving seat but Leeds were still on top, showing some neat touches in attack which were being let down only by poor recycling of the ball.

Indiscipline was starting to creep into the Tykes' game as Davey booted another three points and although they continued to play most of their rugby in their visitors' half, they were unable to build any real momentum.

A promising move in the 31st minute was concluded when hooker Rob Rawlinson, skippering the side in the absence of injured club captain Mike Shelley, knocked on with the visitors' defence back-peddling frantically.

Winger Emyr Lewis prevented a near-certain try three minute before the interval when he brilliantly caught a Gordon Ross bomb with two Tykes bearing down on him.

Referee Didier Mene called back play however following an infringement by Pontypridd and van Straaten made no mistake with the ensuing penalty kick.

A bullocking run from Gavin Kerr nearly saw Leeds add to their lead in the 45th minute but he was held up over the line after barging his way through several Pontypridd tacklers.

Van Straaten slotted his fourth penalty but his side's hopes were then dealt a blow when Matt Holt was sin-binned for an infringement at the scrum.

Pontypridd had not looked like breaching the Tykes' line all afternoon but in the 70th minute they managed just that when Davey gathered up his own kick after an error from Ross. Davey added the conversion himself to level the score.

Visiting flanker Richard Parks was shown a yellow card in the dying moments but his absence made little difference as Pontypridd held out for the draw, collecting their quarter-final spot.