Supporters of the Steelmen must be familiar with the scenario: opponents look like world beaters for 40 minutes then Ebbw look like masters of the universe for 40. And so it went at Neath on Saturday as the home side, winless so far, looked totally in control with Regan King choreographing the show. They cut Ebbw to ribbons twice with tries from Chris Morgans and Ieuan Jones, converted by Callum Hall who also scored a penalty. By contrast, Ebbw offered nothing and errors abounded with touch finders missed, penalties conceded and turnovers yielded. It was 17-0 and, as one Addict observed, “We were lucky to get nil.”
Second half turnarounds marked great wins over Aberavon and RGC, and things picked up for Ebbw after just two minutes of the second period when Carl Meyer burst out of his own half to slice Neath open and release Paul King to show his pace to finish the move off. Rhys Jones converted. Ebbw exerted sustained pressure from the restart and the second try came when Meyer sent Dan Haymond over the whitewash. As the Steelmen raised the heat, the Blacks coughed penalties and a long Meyer shot made it 17-15 before Rhys Jones gave Ebbw the lead at 18-17. It was all Ebbw by now as fitness told and Neath tired, and a series of rucks near the hosts’ line ended when Lance Randall powered over for a try that Jones goaled to give Ebbw a 25-17 lead, robbing Neath of a bonus point and meaning that they would have to score twice to win the game. This proved too much for Neath and Ebbw comfortably held on for another famous comeback victory.
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Mae cefnogi Glynebwy byth yn ddigyffro ac, unwaith eto ddoe, bu’r tîm yn dod yn ôl i ennill yn yr ail hanner wedi iddynt ildio mantais fawr i’w wrthwynebwyr cyn yr egwyl. Pob clod i Gastell Nedd: buon nhw ar dân yn yr hanner cyntaf, gyda maswr Regan King yn trefnu ac yn rheoli’r gêm. Bron yn amhosibl bu credu bod nhw heb fuddugoliaeth hyd yn hyn. Bu dau gais yn dod, gan Chris Morgans ac Ieuan Jones wrth i olwyr Castell Nedd redeg yn gryf i dorri amddiffyn Glynebwy. Bu Callum Hall, a ddechreuodd y tymor gyda Glynebwy, yn ychwanegu 7 pwynt i roi’r fantais i’w dîm, 17-0, ar yr egwyl. Beth i ddweud am Wŷr y Dur yn ystod yr hanner cyntaf? Y gorau po leiaf efallai… ond, wrth gofio’r gemau yn erbyn Aberafan a RGC, oedd gobeithio am well i ddod yn freuddwydio neu baid?
Daeth hanner gair o berfformiad gwell gan yr ymwelwyr ar unwaith, wrth i Carl Meyer ymosod o ddyfnder, bylchu amddiffyn Castell Nedd a rhyddhau Paul King i groesi am gais gwych. Bu Rhys Jones yn trosi, a 7-17 oedd y sgôr. Bu Glynebwy erbyn hyn yn chwarae gyda mwy o hyder a phwrpas a daeth yr ail gas ar 55 munud trwy gefnwr Dan Haymond a aeth drosodd ar ôl gwaith da gan Meyer. Bu Meyer yn dylanwadu ar y gêm yn bendant erbyn hyn, â’i gic cosb hir yn dod â Glynebwy i 15-17 cyn i Rhys Jones roi ei dîm yn y blaen am y tro cyntaf, 18-17, gyda chic cosb.
Roedd patrwm y gêm wedi newid yn hollol, gyda blaenwyr Glynebwy’n drech na phac Castell Nedd ac amddiffyn Gwŷr y Dur yn gadarn ac yn amyneddgar. Bach yn anochel, efallai, bu trydydd cais Glynebwy; clo Lance Randall yn gorffen cyfres o ddreifiau cryf gan ei gyd-flaenwyr. Gyda throsiad Jones yn agor y bwlch rhwng y ddau dîm i 8 pwynt, roedd Glynebwy wedi cwblhau atgyfodiad byddai Lasarws yntau yn falch ohono.
Mae cefnogi Glynebwy byth yn ddigyffro!
15 Dan Haymond 14 Paul King 13 Carl Meyer 12 Dom Franchi 11 Toby Fricker 10 Rhys Jones 9 Dai Jones 1 Ross Jones 2 Joe Franchi 3 Rob Sevenoaks 4 Lance Randall 5 Ashley Sweet 6 Rhys Clarke 7 Ronny Kynes (c) 8 Cameron Regan 16 Rhys Francis 17 Jordan Rogers 18 Curtis Hicks 19 Kristian Parker 20 Lewis Young 21 Sam Ireland 22 Owen Young 23 James Lewis
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