RTB Ebbw Vale 0 – 51 Caerphilly
Saturday December 3, Ebbw Vale
Following on from their 11-try victory over Usk the previous week, Caerphilly travelled to RTB Ebbw Vale on Saturday December 3 in a rich vein of form, having won their previous six matches and sitting in second place in the WRU National League Division 3 East A with a game in hand over leaders Oakdale.
Four tries in the final ten minutes helped the Castlemen earn another bonus point with a seven-try win at a cold Hill Top Stadium which ended in darkness thanks to a delayed kick-off.
Freezing conditions contributed to poor handling, while several promising moves broke down after some questionable decision-making.
Caerphilly outside-half Matthew Hurley slotted an early penalty, before contributing another five points as he broke the Ebbw defensive line to score after 20 minutes.
The home side missed a penalty through Nathan Morgan and had several chances from five metres to reduce the deficit, but Caerphilly’s defence held firm.
Equally stout Ebbw defending kept the visitors from scoring until the stroke of half-time, when Hurley again touched down on the overlap to score a simple try under the posts. He added the conversion, taking his and Caerphilly’s total to 15 points.
The second half started much in the same fashion, with the Castlemen enjoying much of the possession but profligate in attacking areas. Hurley converted Tom Axenderry’s try after the flanker broke through the middle of a ruck to cross, before adding a penalty for 25-0.
Caerphilly could be accused of trying to force the bonus point, and were forced into defending a wave of Ebbw attacks until two yellow cards put paid to the home side’s resolve.
Hurley quickly grabbed his hat-trick and Caerphilly’s bonus point score with Ebbw down to 14 men, and added his side’s fifth try with relative ease minutes later, converting the latter.
Replacement lock Josh Hayward capitalised on Ebbw’s attempt to take a quick throw-in, as he ran in unopposed from 22-metres having been gifted the ball from the home side.
Not content with just one score, the second-rower finished off a length-of-the-pitch move deep into extra time to cross for Caerphilly’s seventh try of the afternoon and 40th of the season.
Hurley added the two conversions to take his tally to 36 and secure a resounding win for the Castlemen.
• Match report and photography by Mark Tamplin of Caerphilly RFC.