A casual observer, wandering over from the Fun Day in Carmarthen Park for a cup of tea and pork roll with stuffing (absolutely stunning and highly recommended) would have glanced at the scoreboard, seen that the home team were leading by 24-6, and assumed that Ebbw had been on the end of a first half hammering. How wrong that observer would have been! With forward domination, and over 80% of the territory and possession, the Steelmen had kept Carmarthen under the cosh and deserved more for all their efforts. However, huge credit must go to the Quins for their tremendous defence and ability to capitalise brilliantly on the scraps of possession that came their way: they made it into Ebbw’s 22m area four times in the first 40 minutes and their clinical finishing brought three tries through a Morgan Griffiths brace and one by Josh Batch, all converted by Aled Thomas who also landed a penalty. Ebbw’s points came from the boot of Lewis Dennett.

The second half was a different story, in the sense that Ebbw’s pressure was turned into points. Replacement scrum half Dai Jones ran a great support line to score from Toby Fricker’s pass after a bullocking run by the winger; Fricker himself crossed following superb hands from the ubiquitous Cameron Reagan; and Jones scored his second with a great blindside dart as the Steelmen pack put their opponents under scrummage pressure. The problem for Ebbw was that Quins scored two of their own to secure a bonus point, but Ebbw finished the stronger and pressed hard for the try that would, with a conversion have earned two bonus points. There was no doubt that Quins’ pace and cutting edge clinical finishing Brough them a deserved win, but Ebbw were unlucky, perhaps, to leave with nothing.

There were some very bright spots again for Ebbw, as Kristian Parker and Lance Randall continued to develop their blossoming second row partnership and Joel Harries put in an excellent 80-minute stint at loose head. All in all, Greg Woods and his team will have to ponder long and hard about selection for Monday’s home game with Aberavon and the National Cup semi final against Merthyr next Saturday.

Ebbw’s scorers were
Tries: Dai Jones (2), Toby Fricker
Cons: Lewis Dennett
Pens: Lewis Dennett (2)

Team:

Dan Haymond, Toby Fricker, James Lewis, Dom Franchi, Srdan Majkic; Lewis Dennett, Sam Ireland; Joel Harries, Joe Franchi, Rob Sevenoaks; Kristian Parker, Lance Randall; Cameron Reagan, Ronny Kynes (captain), Lewis Young.
Bench:Rhys Francis, Jordan Rogers, Jon Davies, Ben Papp, Dai Jones, Stefan Thomas, Callum Hall.

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Weithau, dydy sgôr ddim yn adlewyrchu holl hanes gêm, ac fel ‘na roedd hi yng Nghaerfyrddin, ddydd Gwener, wrth i’r tîm cartref ennill gan 34 pwynt i 23.

Yn ystod yr hanner cyntaf, bu Glynebwy yn goruchafu ar Cwins, gyda dros 80% o diriogaeth a meddiant ond, pob clod i’r gwrthwynebwyr, bu eu hamddiffyn yn gryf iawn a’u cyflymder a gallu o ran troi amddiffyn yn ymosod, a manteisio ar eu cyfleoedd prin, yn rhagorol; yn yr hanner cyntaf, buon nhw’n ymweld â 22m Glynebwy pedair gwaith ac yn sgorio tri throsgais a chic cosb i gyrraedd yr egwyl yn y blaen gan 24-6. Daeth pwyntiau Glynebwy o droed chwith manwl Lewis Dennett.

O safbwynt trosi pwysedd yn bwyntiau, bu Gwŷr y Dur yn fwy llwyddianus yn yr ail gyfnod. Bu Dai Jones, eilydd o fewnwr, yn manteisio ar rediad gwych can asgellwr amwlg Toby Fricker i sgorio cais cyntaf ei dîm; Fricker ei hun yn croesi wedi gwaith rhagorol gan Cameron Reagan – a fu’n Sioni-bob-man trwy’r gêm; a Jones unwaith eto yn mynd drosodd ar yr ochr dywyll wrth i blaenwyr Glynebwy bwyso ar sgrym Caerfyrddin. Ond, fu ymgais Glynebwy ddim yn ddigon achos bod Cwins yn sgorio dau gais hefyd i fynd â’r gêm a phwynt bonws i’w cadw yn yr ail safle yn yr Uwch Gynghrair. I fod yn hollol deg, roedd ymgais yr ymwelwyr yn haeddu rhywbeth, a tasen new wedi sgorio yn hwyr yn y gêm, basen nhw wedi mynd yn ôl i Flaenau Gwent gyda dau bwynt bonws, a basai neb wedi gwarafun hynny iddynt.

Mae ‘na newyddion da i Lynebwy, o safbwynt datblygu chwaraewyr ifanc, newydd: mae Joel Harries, yn mynd o nerth i nerth fesul gêm ac mae partneriaeth ail reng, Kristian Parker a Lance Randall, yn blodeuo wrth i’r dau ohonynt fynd yn fwyfwy amwlg fesul wythnos. Braf oedd gweld Cameron Reagan yn ôl, hefyd. Mae pawb yn disgwyl ymlaen at y gêm gynderfynol yn erbyn Merthyr wythnos nesaf ond, cyn hynny, bydd Dewiniaid Aberafan yn dod i Barc Eugene Cross ddydd Llun (2:30 yp).