Match Report – Bridgend Ravens 18 Ebbw Vale RFC 34

Ebbw claimed yet another six-pointer, on the road defeating Bridgend 34-18 at the Dunraven Brewery Field.

A lovely afternoon and a luscious green baize to work with should have set the afternoon up for some terrific running rugby, but with a heavy tailwind behind them, Ebbw couldn’t make it pay, yielding only an early Evan Lloyd penalty to give the visitors the lead.

It was then the hosts who struck the first blow, taking advantage of the extra man and McCauley Rowley crossed in the corner to get the game’s first try. Burnell missing the conversion, his second missed kick of the game so far.

A match marred with errors and inaccuracies soon saw Liam Tobias join Dom Franchi in the sin bin and the Ebbw pack crashed over to give Joe Franchi the first of his three tries.

The game was bubbling, and soon came to a boil when Ebbw number eight Ryan Jenkins saw straight red for a tip tackle, sandwiched by two Burnell penalties. The half came to a close with Evan Lloyd, the league’s top points scorer, converting a penalty.

HALF TIME: Bridgend Ravens 11-13 Ebbw Vale

A double prop change early in the second half was the turning point for The Steelmen. A penalty try and yellow card to Bridgend second row Evan Hill was quickly followed by Franchi’s brace. The Ravens decimated by the Vale rolling maul.

The hosts were not done yet though. With the gap sitting at 16, Hill returned to the pitch to give his side the man advantage once more and it was the lock who crossed the whitewash to bring Bridgend back within two scores. The momentum lasted just nine minutes, Hill seeing red following a second yellow.

Franchi then crossed for his hat-trick following 5 consecutive rolling mauls taking Ebbw 65m up-field, and the win was sealed, Ebbw remaining second in the table, a couple of points behind frontrunners Cardiff, who themselves took maximum points this weekend.

Ebbw now get set to travel to Carmarthen Quins in a week’s time.

FULL TIME: Bridgend 18-34 Ebbw Vale

Scorers:

Tries: Joe Franchi (3), Penalty Try

Pens: Evan Lloyd (2) Cons: Evan Lloyd (3)

Report by Robert Rees