By: Paul Hopkins
A disappointing Swansea were put to the sword by a clinical Ebbw Vale side, who scored five tries in a convincing win at Eugene Cross Park.
The Steelmen signalled their intent from the kick off with the forwards powering through and winger Jordan Thomas charging down a clearance kick.
The home side were awarded a penalty from the lineout and fly half Kieran Meek chose to kick deep into the 22. Swansea defended a maul from the resulting lineout and kept Ebbw Vale at bay, before excellent work on the ground by lock Lloyd Ashley secured a turnover.
Ebbw Vale were penalised for driving into a maul from the side, allowing fly half Rhys Jones to kick for his side’s first notable territory. Flanker Sam Pailor managed to keep hold of the lineout, but number eight Joe Greaves was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
A misfiring lineout throw by hooker Rhys Francis was gobbled up by hooker Jamie Cox and a superbly angled kick by scrum half Rhodri Lewis found touch a few metres from the Ebbw Vale line.
Swansea collapsed a scrum, giving the home side a penalty, which Meek chipped into the corner. Francis stretched towards the line but stopped was inches short, although lock Curtis Gregory spotted a gap and dived over for a try. Meek converted.
Scrum half Rory Harries nipped in at the base of a Swansea scrum to steal possession, but Meek’s high kick was marked by full back Brandon Wood.
The All Whites were awarded a penalty when Gregory strayed in front of a kick, but Jones’ effort at goal fell short of the posts.
A darting run by centre Gareth O Rees set up an attacking for the visitors with prop Ed Thompson making good yards, but Lewis’ chip through crept over the dead ball line, much to the frustration of the chasing Gareth O Rees.
Winger Morgan Rees made a break from his own 22, feeding fellow wing Matthew Jenkins, who switched to the left flank, and it forced Ebbw Vale offside. Jones again missed his effort at goal though.
Prop James Kenny stole in at the lineout to recapture possession for the visitors, and he was again involved as play was switched out to the wing, but Morgan Rees’ chip ahead went into touch.
Jenkins tried to run out of defence, but held onto possession after the tackle on half way. Meek found touch midway between the 22 and try line and flanker Cameron Regan collected the lineout with an unstoppable 10 metre rolling maul resulting in a try for Francis. Meek missed the conversion.
Jones found touch on the Ebbw Vale 22 with a penalty and lock Matt Dodd took the lineout, with Lewis making a superb break from the maul to take out the defence and send Morgan Rees over for a well worked try. Jones converted.
Thomas looked to have dropped a clanger in midfield, but play was brought back as the visitors’ chasers were in front of the kick. Instead, Meek kicked a three pointer.
Half-time:- Ebbw Vale 15-7 Swansea
Wood dropped a regulation high kick in his own 22 to gift Ebbw Vale with a welcome attacking scrum. Swansea were driven backwards at the rate of knots so the home side were awarded a penalty, which Meek chipped to the corner. Francis tried to control a rolling maul but bumped into his own man.
The Whites were unable to get away from their own line though and Jenkins stepped into touch a metre from the line. Centre Dom Franchi tried to dive over and was stopped inches short of the line before prop Harry Drane picked up to score. Meek converted.
Jones used his powerful boot to kick Swansea up to the 22 with a penalty, but the Steelmen stole possession at the lineout and were able to clear.
A superb pass out wide saw centre Joe Thomas make good yards on the wing, but despite an initially patient build up, Wood chipped out on the full.
Ebbw Vale were awarded a penalty after an infringement at the lineout by the visitors and Meek kicked deep into the corner. Superb defence by the Whites secured a penalty, although Jones failed to find touch with his kick.
Thompson thought he’d secured a turnover, but referee Simon Mills awarded the Steelmen a penalty. The home side opted for a close range scrum and it paid off as an unstoppable maul resulted in a penalty try.
A long penalty touch finder by Jones gave Swansea rare possession inside the Ebbw Vale 22. Dodd took the lineout and replacement centre Osian Knott almost made his way through, but Pailor was penalised for holding on in the tackle.
A superb chip ahead by full back Carrick McDonough almost resulted in a try, but Wood managed to get back to ground the ball dead.
Replacement flanker Owen Conquer ran back at the Swansea defence and bounced off three tackles before handing a scoring pass to substitute scrum half Jon Evans. Replacement fly half Evan Lloyd converted.
Swansea almost scored a second try when Knott slipped a pass out wide to Morgan Rees, but it was adjudged forward.
The visitors tried to attack right until the end as the game descended into a bad tempered affair in the closing stages, where Evans was yellow carded. Replacement fly half Ieuan Bissell chipped to the corner, but the resulting lineout went awry, and Ebbw Vale cleared to mark full time.
Full-time:- Ebbw Vale 36-7 Swansea
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Curtis Gregory (16), Rhys Francis (35), Harry Drane (46), Penalty Try (62), Jon Evans (71)
Cons:- Kieran Meek (17, 47), Evan Lloyd (72)
Pens:- Kieran Meek (40+2)
Yellow cards:- Jon Evans (80+5)
Swansea:
Tries:- Morgan Rees (39)
Cons:- Rhys Jones (40)
Yellow cards:- James Kenny (62)
Match facts:
Venue:- Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale
Weather:- Sunny, 3C
Referee:- Simon Mills
Man of the match:- Alex Howes
Attendance:- 900
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Carrick McDonough
14 Harry Rees-Weldon
13 Ethan Phillips
12 Dom Franchi
11 Jordan Thomas (rep: Ben Main 56)
10 Kieran Meek (rep: Evan Lloyd 56)
9 Rory Harries (rep: Jon Evans 56)
1 Luke Garrett (rep: Morgan Davies 56)
2 Rhys Francis © (rep: Ieuan Morris 56)
3 Harry Drane (rep: Owen Hatherill 61)
4 Dylan Bartlett
5 Curtis Gregory (rep: Jakub Malecki 62)
6 Cameron Regan
7 Kobi Rees (rep: Owen Conquer 56)
8 Alex Howes
Replacements:
16 Ieuan Morris
17 Morgan Davies
18 Owen Hatherill
19 Jakub Malecki
20 Owen Conquer
21 Jon Evans
22 Evan Lloyd
23 Ben Main
Swansea team:
15 Brandon Wood
14 Matthew Jenkins (rep: Ieuan Bissell 51)
13 Gareth O Rees
12 Joe Thomas
11 Morgan Rees
10 Rhys Jones (rep: Osian Knott 66)
9 Rhodri Lewis (rep: Gareth J Rees 62)
1 James Kenny (rep: Tom Sloane 73)
2 Jamie Cox (rep: Owen Thomas 41)
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Ellis Fackrell 56)
4 Lloyd Ashley (rep: Lewis Marsh 62)
5 Matt Dodd
6 Sam Pailor
7 Callum Bowden ©
8 Joe Greaves (rep: Lloyd Evans 56)
Replacements:
16 Owen Thomas
17 Tom Sloane
18 Ellis Fackrell
19 Lewis Marsh
20 Lloyd Evans
21 Gareth J Rees
22 Ieuan Bissell
23 Osian Knott