Jason Strange’s side arrived hoping to complete the double over their hosts, but things certainly didn’t go to plan in the first 40 minutes. Playing into the wind and driving rain, they kicked poorly, made some terrible mistakes and put together probably their worst half of the season.
That left them with a mountain to climb in the second half after they changed ends trailing 20-5. Things didn’t start well in the second half either, as Ryan Wilkins extended the Ponty lead with a third try.
The only thing in The Steelmen’s favour seemed to be the wind, although a key change in the 42nd minute brought the vastly experienced Jonathan Evans into the fray. With his control at scrum half things began to change and it was his try that ultimately tipped the scales in favour of Gwent outfit.
“First half our energy and physicality were low. We needed to improve on those areas in the second half and they had a good talking to at the break,” admitted head coach Jason Strange, who saw his side change ends 20-5 in arrears.
“The wind was a factor, but that was all – it wasn’t tactical or technical, it was just about improving in those two areas. That’s what we spoke about in the interval.
“Pontypridd had more enthusiasm than us in the first half and out worked us. But we are a super fit team and we back ourselves against anyone in the last 20 minutes.
“We got a lot more momentum in the second half, our speed of ball was quicker, and we did much better. I think we’re in a good place.”
Hooker Joe Franchi may have given the visitors the lead with a try from a driving line-out int he ninth minute, but from the re-start Ponty hit back immediately with a try from Macauley Rowley, which Josh Phillips converted, and it would be 66 minutes before Ebbw got their noses back in front.
Ben Burnell inspired the next try after he took an up and under just outside his 22, slipped the onrushing defence and then set Rowley free down the left. The wing went over half way and once the ball was recycled, Ryan Wilkins grubbed kicked behind the defensive line to allow wing Liam Lloyd to score and Phillips to once again convert.
Phillips then added two penalties to make it 20-5 at the break. The lead increased early int he second half when Rowley sped up the left wing over half-way, kicked into acres of space ahead of him, won the race for the ball and scoop passed it inside to the supporting Wilkins for a third try that increased the gap to 20 points.
With their line-out all at sea, The Steelmen were having difficulty in converting close range line outs into further scores and they had to wait until the 55th minute before Carrick McDonough was able to convert pressure on the home line from a scrum penalty into a try.
Evan Lloyd converted and ‘Mission Impossible’ was up and running. Two petulant penalties for pushing and shoving by the visitors allowed Phillips to shoot for goal from 30 metres, but he missed kicking into the tricky wind.
If that was a let off for Ebbw, they managed to get their line-out to work with eight minutes to go. This time it was a long throw that opened up the driving maul option and replacement hooker Ieuan Morris was driven over, and Lloyd added the extras.
Now it was a only a one score game and as the Ebbw fans roared their approval, the Ponty faithful were getting increasingly nervous. A penalty on half-way allowed Lloyd to kick deep into the home 22 with four minutes to go and, even though the line-out drive was thwarted, the Ebbw forwards used their physicality to make the extra metres before Evans was able to pick up a complete the job and bag a bonus-point.
Lloyd hit the target with the conversion to edge his side in front for the first time in more than an hour, but the drama didn’t end there. Ebbw threw crookedly into a line out on half-way and then unforgivably gave away a penalty for wheeling at the ensuing scrum.
Up stepped Phillips for a shot at glory, but the Ponty full back pushed his kick wide.
Scorers: Pontypridd: Tries: M Rowley, L Lloyd, R Wilkins; Con: J Phillips 2; Pens: J Phillips 2. Ebbw Vale: Tries: J Franchi, C Mcdonough, I Morris, J Evans; Cons: E Lloyd 3
