THE weather might be atrocious this afternoon, but Ebbw Vale coach Mike Ruddock is hoping conditions and a weakened Bridgend side (2.30pm) might give the Steelmen an advantage as they look for a second straight win.

Incredibly, Ebbw Vale could find themselves top of the Welsh Premier League if they beat Bridgend after their 16-13 win over Swansea at Eugene Cross Park last Tuesday.

And, with captain Gareth Thomas away on international duty with Wales, Andy Moore out with a facial injury and hooker Gareth Williams also in the wars, Vale are probably facing the Brewery Field outfit at the best possible time.

As expected, Ruddock has named a virtually unchanged team from the side that beat Swansea with lock Neil Edwards and hooker Leyton Phillips being replaced by Peter Sidoli and Jon Evans. Adam Black takes back the captaincy.

The news on Edwards is not good. The Wales A lock has damaged cartilage in his shoulder and is expected to be out for roughly five weeks, Phillips has bruised his shoulder and may be fit for Vale's game against Neath on Friday November 15 at the Gnoll.

While nobody at Eugene Cross Park is getting carried away with Tuesday night's success, Ebbw Vale have every chance to add another scalp to the list. "It would be nice to go top of the league, but we need to prove ourselves against Bridgend.

"Even without Gareth Williams, Gareth Thomas and Andy Moore, they still have some good players (including British Lion Dafydd James).

"With conditions being heavy, we will target some forward drives and we'll take the opportunity to get stuck into them."

Vale have a nasty habit of putting in lots of hard work and establishing a lead in games before leaving the back door open for teams to get back in the match and, in worst case situations, actually sneak a win.

Both Swansea and Bridgend are classic examples of teams who have poached league points from the Steelmen in recent matches, but while Swansea were successfully dispatched, Vale fans will feel that Bridgend need to be put in their place.

Few of them will have forgotten Bridgend's Jamie Ringer who charged down a potential match-winning kick by Vale's Gareth Cull - who was on permit from Bridgend to make matters worse - which cost them the game in a 18-17 home defeat.

But while Bridgend director of rugby Allan Lewis and forwards coach Richard Webster were watching the Ebbw Vale-Swansea game, they will know today's match promises to be a tense affair - and don't be surprised if the fists start flying.

Ebbw Vale: R Davies, N Wakely, P Matthews, M Ridley, A Takarangi, M Meenan, B Shelbourne, A Black, J Evans, M Jones, O Booyse, P Sidoli, R Williams, K Tuipulotu, P Williams. Replacements: K Gay, K Crawford, C Billen, W Thomas, A Bevan, S Mitchell, R Shorney. Bridgend: M James, R Mustoe, D James, J Funnell, C Warlow, S Mannix, S Martens, C Loader, B Phillips, J Thiel, M Powell, D Jones, N Budgett, S Van Rensburg, C Harris. Replacements: H Harries, A Carter, P Jones, P Booth, C Horsman, R Bryan, M Molitika