Vale bite back to deny hosts Cardiff a superb comeback

CARDIFF came agonisingly close to finishing their season in style as Ebbw Vale hung on to deny them a remarkable comeback.

The opening 40 minutes in the game were all Ebbw Vale. After David Langdon opened the scoring with a penalty in the second minute, Cardiff struggled to cope with the high pressure from the visitors.

Ebbw doubled their lead with another Langdon penalty shortly after, but it was in the 22nd minute that the side scored their first try.

Winger Toby Fricker burst through the Cardiff defence, offloading the ball to Lewis Young.

Fricker was then reunited with the ball in the middle of the Cardiff 22, and galloped over the line to give Ebbw a 13-0 lead, which is how the first half ended.

Cardiff finally got onto the scoreboard in the 42nd minute as Gareth Thompson converted from in front of the posts.

However, Ebbw increased their lead eight minutes later as Luke Shore finished off a neat passage of play through the back-line started by David Langdon. Langdon then converted, giving the visitors a 20-3 advantage.

Cardiff fought back valiantly. Tries from Ian Jenkins and Llywarch Ap Myrddin narrowed Ebbw’s lead to just three points with seven minutes left.

A disallowed try in the dying moments rewarded Ebbw’s defensive efforts, securing an impressive away win for the visitors.