Before the start of this match, Ebbw lay in 6th and Carmarthen 5th in the Principality Premiership. Last season’s games ended 14-12 and 20-26, so all expectations were for a close encounter between two well-matched sides. The first half seemed to confirm this analysis, as the packs tested each other out like heavyweight boxes, looking for a flaw, a weakness that could be exploited. As might be expected, this resulted in penalty opportunites and Josh Lewis succeeded with both his efforts – one from half way – while Craig Evans managed just one from three. Ebbw’s other points, a Lewis drop goal, came after Ebbw built great field position following a smart line out move that saw Dawid Rubasniak burst through the Quins’ defence.

The score at the end of a fairly forgetable first half was 9-3, and Evans narrowed it to 9-6 soon after the break. Ebbw hit straight back and a lovely Lewis break set up Chris Thomas for a great run in and score on his 100th appearance. Lewis converted and soon added a penlaty after being illegally prevented from chasing his own kick through.

Quins bounced back, scoring a classic catch’n’drive through hooker Torin Myhill. At 19-13, the game was still in the balance and, with Lewis limping off, Ebbw had to reorganise: Man of the Match Dai Langdon stepped up to 10 and Liam Jones came on at inside centre, scoring with his first touch on his home league debut! Langdon converted to give Ebbw a 26-13 advantage. Craig Duncan added his team’s third after good work by Dai Langdon set Nathan Preece off on a powerful charge. Langdon’s left boot made it 33-13, but Quins were still not out of it and crossed for an excellent try of their own through winger Chris Banfield. Ebbw had the final say, though, another superb break by Nathan Preece setting up Ben Papp for the bonus point try and a 40-20 victory that liftedthem to 4th place as the race for the top 8 finish heats up!

This was Ebbw’s best performance for some time. The forwards, as ever, were tireless and accurate, but the difference today was that the backs really fired. Next up, Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground on Friday night.

Dan Haymond, Chris Levesley, Nathan Preece, Dai Langdon, Ryan Gardner; Josh Lewis, Chris Thomas; Ian George, Joe Franchi, Gethin Robinson; Joe Bartlett, Damien Hudd (Capt); Ronny Kynes, Dawid Rubasniak, Rhys Clarke.

Substitutes: Jonny Bowen, Ross Jones, Rob Sevenoaks, Ashley Gibson, Ben Papp, Dai Jones, Liam Jones, Craig Duncan.

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Gêm bwysig iawn i’r ddau dîm oedd hon, o safbwynt gorffen yn yr ‘wyth uchaf’ ym mis Ionawr. Ar ddechrau’r prynhawn, roedd Cwins yn 5ed a Glynebwy yn 6ed.

Roedd yr hanner cyntaf yn anghofiadwy i radd helaeth, wrth i’r ddau dîm anwesu mewn tipyn bach o ‘slugfest’, gyda’r bêl yn yr awyr neu ymhlith y blaenwyr. Daeth cyfleoedd i faswyr Josh Lewis a Craig Evans ac, yn ffodus i Lynebwy, roedd Lewis yn fwy cywir nag Evans, yn sgorio 2/2 yn erbyn 1/3 gan y Cwin. Uchafbwynt y cyfnod cyntaf oedd rhediad gwych gan flaenasgellwr Glynebwy, Dawid Rubasniak, ar ôl llinell glyfar iawn. Manteisiodd Lewis ar y cyfle i sgorio gôl adlam.

Roedd Gwyr y Dur yn y blaen, 9-3, ar yr egwyl, ac roedd cefnogwyr y ddau dîm yn croesi bysoedd ac yn gobeithio am rywbeth mwy diddorol yn yr ail hanner. Chawson nhw ddim eu siomi! Ar ôl cic gosb cynnar gan Evans, am 9-6, dechreuodd y ddau dîm chwarae’n fwy eang ac agor, a daeth ceisiadau gwych i Lynebwy gan fewnwr Chris Thomas (ei 100fed gêm dros y clwb), Liam Jones, Craig Duncan a Ben Papp. Gyda Josh Lewis ar yr ystlys, yn dilyn anaf, aeth ‘Seren y Gêm’ Dai Langdon i safle’r maswr ac yn rheol’i olwyr yn berffaith. Roedd Nathan Preece, hefyd, yn ddylanwadol iawn yn y canol, ei ddau rediad cryf yn creu ceisiadau Duncan a Papp, i sicrhau’r fuddugoliaeth a’r pwynt bonws.

Pob clod a chwarae teg i Gaerfyrddin; sgorion nhw ddau gais da iawn trwy fachwr Torin Myhill ac asgellwr Chris Banfield. Ond, ar ddiwedd y gêm, nhw oedd wedi disgyn i 7fed a Glynebwy’n dringo i 4ydd.

Sgorwyr Glynebwy:

Ceisiadau/Tries – Chris Thomas, Liam Jones, Craig Duncan, Ben Papp
Trosiadau/Cons – Josh Lewis, Dai Langdon (3)
Ciciau cosb / Penalties – Josh Lewis (3)Gôl adlam / Drop goal – Josh Lewis