Maynard’s late kick seals narrow victory for Drovers

LLANDOVERY’S 23-20 triumph at Eugene Cross Park means there are still three unbeaten sides fighting it out at the top of the Indigo Premiership.

The Drovers hung on to beat Ebbw Vale in a close contest on Thursday night in which they hit back from a 17-13 deficit to restrict the home side to a mere penalty goal in the second half.

Ryan Davies opened the scoring for the Steelmen with a seventh-minute try as he showed off his speed to come off his wing and join in a fine move from a scrum in the Llandovery 22.

Evan Lloyd improved the try with a wide-angled conversion and there was also a penalty try from a powerful scrum and a Lloyd penalty which kept the home side ahead at the interval.

The visitors responded with an excellent try from Ioan Hughes, completing a move that started on his 10-metre line as Llandovery ran back a loose kick out of defence.

Jack Maynard added the extra points and also landed a brace of penalties.

As the conditions worsened after the break, the Drovers pack came into their own and they picked up a penalty try – and forced the Steelmen to lose a man to the sin-bin – with an unstoppable driving line-out that was pulled down on the home line.

That made it 20-20 and Maynard was the hero in the end as he knocked over the winning penalty.

There was still late drama to come with Llandovery having to face a final line-out 10 metres out from their line while down to 13 men with Ioan Hughes and Jamie Hughes in the sinbin.

The Steelmen had the scent of victory in their nostrils, but were penalised for obstruction as they tried to wind up their driving maul.

The Drovers kicked the ball dead and walked away with four points.