TWO second-half tries by replacement prop John Tilley helped Bedwas to a crucial Welsh Premier Division success over Ebbw Vale at the Bridge Field last night.

With Caerphilly seemingly putting together a late bid to avoid relegation, both sides and others such as Llandovery and Pontypool in the table's bottom half are beginning to look over their shoulders and with just one win in seven games, Vale will be anxious to arrest their slide soon.

To do so they will have to improve immeasurably, not so much in effort as in application for, despite their opponents' nervousness, they failed to put them under any sustained pressure.

Bedwas were not much better in a match full of turnovers, poor decision-making and ball lost in contact, but they did dominate the lineouts and scrums.

Skipper Rhodri Edwards ruled the lineout, flanker Craig Hill's pace in the loose was always a factor and Tilley proved a super sub.

Not only did he score within sixty seconds of replacing Gareth Leonard after 52 minutes when Vale were pushed off scrum ball and he picked up to score, but he added a second eleven minutes later when he peeled away after Bedwas had driven a maul ten metres from a lineout.

Those scores took the home side from 10-10 to 24-13 as their pack dominated the first thirty minutes of the second half. But when Vale left wing Andrew Bevan charged down an attempted clearance from Andrew James to add a 70th-minute try to his 30th-minute effort, Bedwas' nerves returned.

Vale won two late penalties, which they kicked to within 15 metres of the Bedwas line, but they turned over ball at a ruck the first time and failed to win their lineout on the second occasion on a night when skills were at a premium from two injury-hit sides.

Bedwas coach Ian Gardener said: "Both sides have been inconsistent and it was not a good first half, but we improved in the second."

Vale backs coach Byron Hayward said: "We were hammered up front and looked the side we were in the first three weeks of the season."

Bedwas: H Lock, N Gittins, D Jones, A Harrison, N Hill, A James, R Phillips, G Leonard (J Tilley 52min), P McGhee (K Jama 65min), J Salter, R Edwards, A Evans, C Ferris (M Wood 60min), C Hill, B Cole. Scorers: tries: C Hill, J Tilley (2); conversions: A James (3); penalty: James.

Ebbw Vale: A McLaughlan, K Owen, J Hawker, D Phillips (J Quirk 62min), A Bevan, J Williams, R Jones, L Davies, C Thomas (P Harrison 65min), D Alexander (L Williams 47min), G Jones (K Faletau 65min), M Griffin, R Bowen, C Mabbutt, C Cleaver. Scorers: tries: A Bevan (2); conversions: J Williams (2); penalties: Williams (2).