Match Report: Llanelli v Ebbw Vale

Ebbw Vale come away with the five points 

Report by Alex Kinsella-Evans

The Steelmen came away from Llanelli with a bonus point victory in a game that was played in poor weather conditions.

Straight from the kick-off, former Llanelli player Ryan Jenkins knocked the ball on and an offside player gave a penalty away. However, the following play came to nothing.

With the home side on top and the game being played inside the Ebbw Vale half, Llanelli won a lineout. The home side forwards kept the ball before the ball made its way to centre Eddie James to score the home sides first try of the game. Josh Phillips successfully kicked the conversion. 

From a scrum within the away sides half, the Steelmen’s outside half Kieran Meek put in a wonderful 50:22 kick against the wind, to put the away side inside the Llanelli twenty two. From the line out, Ebbw were awarded a scrum, which came to nothing.

With the away side forwards coming more into the game, the referee awarded a penalty due to the Llanelli forwards illegally attempting to stop the rolling maul. From which, the Steelmen’s number ten Meek kicked the ball into the home sides twenty two. Ebbw won the line out and from the resulting play, the referee awarded the home side’s inside centre Jack Price a yellow card for repeated infringements. However, the away side were unable to take advantage from the penalty. 

With the play just inside the Llanelli half, the ball made its way to Ebbw Vale’s outside half Meek, who had great vision to put in a cross-field kick to speedster Ryan Davies in space.  With plenty still to do, the young winger caught the ball on the bounce, put in a sidestep and sped past the covering defence to go over for a well taken try. Meek added the extra two points. 

Mid way through the first half, Llanelli were awarded a penalty inside the away side’s twenty-two due to a player not rolling away from the ball. Josh Phillips added the three points. 

The away side nearly added their second try of the game when winger Davies was fed the ball and ran down the wing, only to be denied by a hand in touch when being tackled going over the line. The resulting line out in the home twenty-two to the home side was not straight. 

From the scrum the Steelmen’s forwards turned on the power and pushed the home side forwards back and former Llanelli number eight Ryan Jenkins dived on the ball over the line to score his side’s second try of the game. Meek added the extra’s.

With the home side gaining some ball, the referee awarded a penalty just outside the Ebbw Vale twenty-two. Llanelli full back Phillips again added the extra’s. 

On the stroke of half time, from a line out, the ball made its way to Ebbw Vale’s Number eight Ryan Jenkins, who at pace burst through three tackles before being stopped illegally just outside the Llanelli twenty-two for a penalty to the Steelmen. Meek slotted the three points.  

Half Time: Llanelli 13-17 Ebbw Vale

Inside the first five minutes of the second half, the home side gave away three consecutive penalties. The third from just outside the home twenty-two for a no arms tackle. Ebbw’s Meek added three points to the scoreboard. 

The home side came straight back at the Steelmen and the referee awarded another penalty to Llanelli for ill-discipline. The home side’s Phillips added the three points. 

From the restart, the Llanelli winger knocked the ball on. The away side won a free kick from the scrum and from a snipping run by scrum half Matthew Flanagan, the forwards were stopped just short of the try line. However, the referee awarded Ebbw a penalty in front of the posts, which the away side elected to take a scrum. From the base of the scrum, the ball was fed to outside centre Ethan Phillips, who darted between two defenders to go over the line to score a well taken try. Meek was unsuccessful with the conversation. 

With the Llanelli forwards coming back into the game, a penalty was awarded to the home side and the Steelmen’s inside centre Dom Franchi received a yellow card for being offside. Phillips added the three points for the home side.  

The Ebbw forwards won a scrum on the halfway line and the ball was fed to replacement outside half Evan Lloyd, who put in a wonderful cross-field 50:22 kick to gain the away side a line out in the Llanelli twenty-two. The away side won the line out and were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, with the Llanelli number eight Nathan Hart being yellow carded for being offside, to put both sides down to fourteen men.  Replacement outside half Evan Lloyd slotted the penalty. 

Some quick ball to the backs outside the Llanelli twenty-two resulted in full back Morgan Richards putting in a grubber kick which the covering defender took over the touch line. Quick thinking from the line out by Ebbw replacement scrum half Jon Evans, led to Harry Drane charging over for a bonus point try. Lloyd unfortunate to miss the conversation from the touch line.

Entering the last ten minutes of play, Ebbw Vale replacement prop Lewis Kinsella received a yellow card for throwing the ball away. With the home side camped inside the Ebbw twenty-two, the referee awarded a penalty. Llanelli chose to take the scrum and from open play the home side’s flanker Iwan Shenton dived over for the try. Phillips slotted the extra’s. 

In the last moments of the game, Llanelli were caught offside just inside their twenty-two. Lloyd added the three points.   

The Llanelli side battered at the home sides try line with the last play of the game. However, the Steelmen were resolute and kept them out to win the game.

Full Time: Llanelli 26-36 Ebbw Vale 

Man Of The Match: Lewis Young

After the game we spoke to Ebbw Vale scrum coach Arron Coundley.  Arron said the conditions played its part in making the game not much of a spectacle, especially in the second half. However, he was happy to come away by winning the game ugly than not at all. Aaron acknowledged the performance was not what was wanted but the team came away with the five points and was pleased with the progress the team has made since last season. 

We also caught up with man of the match Lewis Young. Commenting on the game Lewis thought Llanelli made it tough for the Steelmen. He added the coaches highlighted the areas that required improvement during half time. He was aware there were areas of the game that need to be improved before playing against RGC next week but as a team they know what went wrong and what they have to put right. 

Report by Alex Kinsella-Evans