Steelmen Return to Winning Ways
Ebbw made amends for last weeks defeat and collected six points in the reverse fixture against Pontypool, in a game that was played in front of a large crowd.
The home side came out with the grit between their teeth. From a lineout inside the Pooler half, the ball made its way to number eight Ryan Jenkins, who powered over to score an early opening try. Outside half Evan was successful with the conversion.
The visitors scored their only points of the afternoon when former Steelman fly half Kieran Meek kicked a penalty from inside the hosts half.
Ebbw Vale soon extended their lead. From a lineout inside the Pontypool half, the forwards set up a rolling maul, which finished with captain Joe Franchi crashing over to score his sides second try of the afternoon. However, on this occasion Lloyd was unable to add the extras.
Towards the end of the first half the hosts were reduced to fourteen men for ten minutes, when referee Ben Breakspear sent second row Dylan Bartlett to the sin bin.
Despite the best efforts of both sides, no further points were added to the scoreboard.
Half Time: Ebbw Vale RFC 12 Pontypool RFC 3
Within ten minutes of the second half, Ebbw Vale coach Jason Strange replaced props Morgan Davies and Adam Williams with Luke Garrett and Adam Court. Prop Court marked his fiftieth appearance from the bench.
The try of the afternoon came shortly into the second half. A fantastic break by centre Cameron Davies from his own twenty-two, saw the centre make a huge amount of ground. With the ball in the away side’s half, the ball made its way out to winger Harry Rees-Weldon, who rounded off a great break to score in the corner. Lloyd was unable to add the extras.
With his team on the back foot, Pooler hooker Sam Scarfe was shown a yellow card by referee Breakspear and sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.
Another Ebbw Vale change by coach Strange saw hooker Joe Franchi be replaced by Ieuan Morris.
With the Ebbw forwards not letting up, from a scrum in the visitors twenty-two, an all mity push by the Steelmen’s eight saw referee Breakspear left with no alternative but to go under the posts and award a penalty try to the hosts.
Further changes by the home side saw Hamish Anderson, Sion Parry, Ryan Jenkins, Rory Harries and Matt Jones be replaced by Ryan Gardner, Lewis Young, Ben Main, Morgan Richards and Gruffydd Tough all within minutes of each other.
With the majority of the game being played in the Pontypool half, the ball found its way to Ebbw outside half Lloyd just inside the away side’s half. Scanning what was in front of him, the number ten sent an excellent long range drop goal through the middle of the posts to add an extra three points to his team’s tally.
With the game coming towards a close, a huge penalty kick from inside the Ebbw Vale half saw Lloyd put the hosts on the Pooler five-yard line. From the lineout a rolling maul finished with replacement Ieuan Morris crashing over the try line for the home sides fifth try of the afternoon. Lloyd kicked the conversion.
Full Time: Ebbw Vale RFC 34 Pontypool RFC 3
Tries: Ryan Jenkins (1), Joe Franchi (1), Harry Rees-Weldon (1), Penalty try (1), Ieuan Morris (1)
Conversions: Evan Lloyd (2)
Drop Goal: Evan Lloyd (1)
Pictures courtesy of Ebbw Players
After the game we spoke with prop Adam Williams. Adam was happy with the team’s performance. Adam thought it was a good response to last week’s defeat against Pontypool and he acknowledged the team wanted to make amends for last week’s game.
The Steelmen’s next game is away to RGC at Eirias Stadium on Saturday 4 January 2025, with kick off of 3.00pm
Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans
