In what was the 20th league game of the year, only a fourth defeat may have knocked them off the top spot, but what hurt most was the fact the Drovers didn’t even leave with a losing bonus-point.
Something had to give in this battle of the top two teams in the Indigo Premiership and it was the power of the home pack that eventually determined the outcome on a filthy night.
“We had the strongest team out there available to us and we came up short. Credit to Ebbw Vale, who are a very well coached outfit, they stuck to what they are good at and were worthy winners,” admitted Llandovery head coach, Evans.
“It is a really tough place to go and there won’t be many teams beating them at home. We’ve just got to regroup and make the most of having back-to-back home games against RGC and Neath to finish off this month.”
In fact, Evans’ men have four games at Church Bank in their next five outings, with acid tests against Pontypool and Newport to come next month. They will be crucial as they seek to stay on course to defend their title.
In taking Llandovery’s unbeaten record this season, The Steelmen were able to jump over them to take charge at the top of the table and in so doing send an alert to every other side in the league that they really do mean business this season.
A mere 18 months into ‘Project Reset’ at the club, Jason Strange is starting to not only demonstrate what a quality coach he is – just in case anyone didn’t know that already – but also what a strong squad he has been able to build in such a short space of time.
As well as sitting pretty at the top with this statement win over the reigning champions, Ebbw were also able to show that they change mix and match their team this season and deliver the goods. After they beat Cardiff at the Arms Park, Strange made 10 changes for the bonus-point win over RGC.
He made a number of changes for his biggest test of the season to date against the league leaders and came up trumps yet again.
“Even though we’re top of the table there is still loads of improvement in us. We’ve still got a long way to go,” said a delighted Strange.
“We’re progressing nicely, and we’ve got the benefit of a strong squad with some real depth. It was an important win for us, and our set-piece and scrum really got us over the line.
“I was really pleased with the effort and commitment, but I thought both teams were let down by the weather. I don’t think we saw the best of the two teams, but ultimately it was about finding a way to win, and we did that.
“It was difficult to get any rugby going and it came down to just minimising errors and trying to gain field position. I feel for Llandovery because they are a good side, and they came to play.”
Tries from wing Amir Jiwa-Walji, sent through a half-gap in midfield by a brilliant offload from Evan Lloyd, and replacement back row man Owen Conquer saw The Steelmen home. Lloyd also added five penalties.
Llandovery took the lead with a well worked try on the wing from Aaron Warren in the first half, but the game was wrapped up at 14-14 at the break.
The conditions meant there were plenty of penalties in the game and Jack Maynard tried to keep pace with the metronomic Lloyd. Conquer’s 65th minute score came from a pushover at scrum time to underline Ebbw’s superiority up front.
That try also ensured the Drovers left with nothing as Ebbw moved eight points ahead of them. Those are the kind of marginal differences that could become crucial later in the season when the battle for a top-four play-off place comes even more sharply into focus.
Scorers: Ebbw Vale: Tries: A Jiwa-Walji, O Conquer; Pens: E Lloyd 5. Llandovery: Try: Aaron Warren; Pens: J Maynard 4.
