Movie night helps Vale overcome Bargoed
GREG Woods knew his side were going to be in for a tough time at Bargoed Park and had shown his players a video of Aberavon’s recent defeat there to get ready for the challenge.
Everything went to plan early on, but when the home side battled back to lead 21-20 it was every hand to the pump to ensure the Steelmen left with the points.
“They are fighting for their lives and have obviously targeted their home games,” said Ebbw Vale head coach Woods. “What pleased me is the first half, Newport found themselves 14-13 behind at the break. Merthyr went further ahead with Hoskins’s try at the start of the second half, but Newport refused to lie down.
Simons’s boot got them back in the lead and not even the home side’s bonus-point try from Jones could stop them as Frewen ran in the that after they went into the lead we moved into a different gear.”
The home side went 6-3 up, but Jack Dixon shrugged off his markers to dive in the corner for Vale’s first try, and they worked Lewis Young clear to run in at the posts.
But Bargoed hit back just before the break with the first of two tries from Duane Dyer. A Josh Prosser penalty cut the gap to six points and match-winner.
It means the gap at the top of the table has been cut to five points after the Ironmen lost for only the second time at home this season.
They still have two more home games to go in their run of six, against Carmarthen Quins this weekend and then third-placed Cardiff on December 14. they worked Dyer over in the corner. Prosser’s conversion hoisted the home side into a 21-20 lead.
Two minutes later Lloyd Evans broke through to score the Steelmen’s third try and Josh Lewis grabbed the bonus point with the final move of the match.
– Tries: D Dyer (2); Con: J Prosser; Pens: J Prosser (3).
– Tries: J Dixon, L Young, L Evans, J Lewis. Cons: R Jones (3); Pens: R Jones (3).