Vale maintain unbeaten streak with gritty victory

PRETTY it most certainly wasn’t but in the end Ebbw Vale held on in a mudbath to record a third win at the Brewery Field inside 12 months.

The visitors scored first in the 12th minute as they drove for the line with lock Kristian Parker emerging with the ball from underneath a sea of bodies.

However, it remained unconverted as Rhys Jones pulled his attempt wide of the posts.

Jones kicked Ebbw further ahead in the 24th minute after Bridgend had been pinged and then booted a long-range penalty five minutes before the break to make it 11-0, which was a lead they carried into half-time.

Prop Cai Lewis was introduced from the bench at the start of the second half and, in doing so, notched his 150th appearance for Bridgend.

Jones then kicked his third penalty five minutes after the restart before Bridgend hit back with a try scored by left wing Ashley Evans after great work in the build-up from Cai Evans, who then kept his cool as he added the extras to pull the hosts back to 14-7 down.

Bridgend were now firmly in the ascendency and a Cai Evans penalty on 63 minutes cut Ebbw’s lead to four points and crank up the pressure on the visitors. But Ebbw are now unbeaten since losing at home to Newport back on November 16, a run of nine games in league and cup including eight victories and a draw with Aberavon Star man Ashley Sweet - Ebbw Vale