Match report Ebbw Vale RFC 22 v Swansea RFC 9
Ebbw take the spoils
The Ebbw Vale forwards lay the platform for a bonus point victory in what was a niggly game.
Two early penalties by Swansea full back Cai Evans, saw the away side take a 6-0 lead.
From a scrum Swansea won a penalty and tried to go quickly but Ebbw stopped them in their tracks and won a penalty from a contest at the ruck. There was a powerful line break from Ebbw Vale’s Evan Lloyd resulting in a scrum, from which the home side won a penalty. The resulting penalty was kicked to the corner, which Swansea won a free kick at the lineout.
The home side’s winger Carrick McDonough scored the opening try which all started when outside half Lloyd passed to captain Rhys Francis, who ran down the wing and drew the opposition fullback in for McDonough to score. Lloyd missed the conversion.
Straight from the kick off Swansea won a penalty on the halfway line and fullback Evans converted to make it 9-5 to the away side.
The home side conceded a penalty when second row Curtis Gregory received a yellow card for a late tackle on the Swansea scrum half Gareth J Rees on the away side’s 22.
A burst up field by the home side’s centre Dominic Franchi led to fellow centre Amir Jiwa Wadji only being stopped from scoring a try by opposite number Hanno Dirksen’s high tackle. The away side centre received a yellow card due to this.
From the resulting penalty, the home side number 10 sent the ball inside the Swansea 22. From the lineout the Ebbw forwards provided a rolling maul which ending in captain Francis going over the line. Lloyd sending the conversion wide. Swansea went down to 13 men when prop Ellis Fackrell also received a yellow carded for an offside in the build up to the try.
With the home side forwards on top, Swansea received a further yellow card to replacement hooker Garan Williams for a dangerous tackle.
HT: Ebbw Vale 10-9 Swansea
At the start of the second half, Swansea kick the ball to Ebbw`s fullback Haydn Simons who has time to look up and kick down field into the Swansea 22, with the phase of play coming to nothing.
From a scrum to Swansea inside the home side’s half, the referee awarded a penalty to the away side, which fullback Evans sent wide of the posts.
A superb 50-22 kick by Ebbw`s outside half Lloyd saw the home side have a lineout in the oppositions 22. From the lineout, the Ebbw pack showed their strength with Chad Thomas crashing over the try line. Flyhalf Lloyd added the two points.
Ebbw replacement and former Swansea player Jordan Prichard was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle. The penalty came to nothing.
A superb late midfield break by replacement Ethan Phillips saw him draw the fullback in and sends winger McDonough in for his second try of the match. Lloyd missed the extras.
FT: Ebbw Vale 22- 9 Swansea
Ebbw Vale’s Man Of The Match sponsored by Spirit Of Wales Distillery: Chad Thomas
Report by Alex Kinsella-Evans
Gallery https://www.evrfc.co.uk/gallery/ebbw-vale-v-swansea-gallery/
