PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP

JarvissalutesIronmenafterbeatingchampions

MERTHYR .................... 38 EBBW VALE ................. 25

MERTHYR head coach Lee Jarvis was full of praise for his side after watching them take another major scalp in the Principality Premiership by beating the champions to stay second in the table behind Aberavon.

While admitting that Merthyr were guilty of making a few mistakes as they sought to throw the ball about, Jarvis said: “It was an exciting win for us. To beat last season’s champions at the Wern was superb.”

Craig Locke and his newly-promoted side have also got the better of Cross Keys, Cardiff, Pontypridd and Newport and only Bedwas have managed to lower their colours so far this term.

Three players in the home ranks caught the eye; scrum-half Rhys Downes, who completed his hat-trick of tries with an injury-time touchdown, smart goal-kicker and full-back Matthew Jarvis and fly-half Dean Gunter.

Jarvis kicked three conversions and four penalty goals – the last from three metres inside his own half which finally knocked the stuffing out of Vale’s brave fightback.

Ebbw Vale also had a stand-out player in out- side half Josh Lewis whose two second half tries were the best of an enthralling contest.

His first in the 44th minute left home defenders leaden-footed as he sprinted across the line after a brilliant 60 metres solo run.

Lewis also kicked two penalties and two conversions.

Inside half Chris Thomas also pounced for a first half try following a driving maul.

Ebbw Vale head coach Nigel Davies said: “We left ourselves a lot to do after conceding 20 points in the first quarter.

“We came back strongly and we had all the momentum,“Davies added. “A couple of key decisions then went against us and we also failed to make the most of some good scoring opportunities which would have helped us to clinch a bonus point.”