Ebbw Vale 19-14 Bargoed
Saturday October 28, Eugene Cross Park
Ebbw Vale moved off the bottom of the Premiership East division with a close-fought victory over Bargoed.
This was a game that both sides needed to win and it could have gone either way. In the end, a determined second half from the Steelmen and a moment of controversy leading to a penaltytry gave the points to the home side.
Bargoed took an early lead from the boot of full-back, Matthew Lewis, only for Lewis Dennett to square it after 12 minutes for the hosts.
The scrums had been competitive from the outset and one went down on the Ebbw 22-metre area with both front-rows enmeshed in some grappling on the floor.
Referee Aled Evans decided that Bargoed’s loose-head Rhys Morgan and Ebbw Vale tight-head Rob Sevenoaks were responsible both received yellow cards. Lewis Lippiett was injured in the collapse and had to be placed by Geraint Clarke. However, Bargoed got the penalty and Lewis put them back in front.
The Bulls seemed to cope better than Ebbw with being one short and when Ian Smerdon put a penalty to the corner, a clean catch-and-drive saw replacement hooker Clarke come up with the ball. Lewis’ conversion from wide failed but Bargoed were 3-11 up after half an hour.
Dennett got a penalty back on the stroke of half time to reduce the deficit.
The home side certainly had the better of the first 20 minutes of the second half. Two penalties from Dennett and full-back Dan Haymond nudged them ahead before a crucial intervention by referee Evans gave the home side a significant advantage.
A diagonal kick deep into the Bargoed 22-metre area seemed to be well covered by David Evans and the winger touched down and ran back for a drop-kick restart. The match official however, decided that the ball had been carried back and gave the Steelmen a five-metre scrum. Bargoed were penalised, another scrum was called, it went down under pressure and a penalty try was awarded. That made it 19-11 as the game entered the final quarter.
Bargoed hit back with a Smerdon penalty before Grant Rogers put in a late burst.
Making 20 metres, he was stopped on the Ebbw line. The ball was recycled but the Bulls couldn’t take advantage. The referee called them back for a penalty five metres out, and home centre Dom Franchi was sent to the bin for not releasing in a scoring position. Crucially however, there was no penalty try.
The final piece of drama saw Jordan Howells fling out along pass for wing David Evans to cross out wide to square the scores with a conversion to come, only to see referee Evans indicate a forward pass. Ebbw cleared from the scrum and that was it. Bargoed had to be content with a losing bonus point.
• Match report by Peter Greening of Bargoed RFC.