EBBW Vale fly-half Scott Mitchell could be a surprise squad inclusion to face Pontypridd on Saturday.

Mitchell has been out of the team for several weeks with an on-going groin problem and had been expected to miss the games over the holiday period.

After training yesterday, Vale coach Mike Ruddock may introduce the 22-year-old at Sardis Road to give him game time ahead of tough ties with Newport away and Cardiff at Eugene Cross Park before the year is out.

In the ex-Newport player's absence, wing Gareth Cull has deputised and coped admirably, but Mitchell's return would bolster the Steelmen's back line. With key players like scrum-half Gareth Betts and prop Iestyn Thomas also out, Ruddock could do with a few more people returning from injury with Vale set to play three games in a week.

The Steelmen make the trip to Sardis Road to face a Pontypridd side lifted by their 12-3 win over champions Swansea, before facing Newport at Rodney Parade on Boxing Day. Then Cardiff are the visitors to Eugene Cross Park on Saturday, December 29 meaning Vale will have played all of the Big Six clubs, bar Llanelli, in the space of a month.

Only Neath have run out rampant against the Steelmen and Ruddock is keen to keep the back-line which did well against Bridgend's Lion Dafydd James and Gareth Thomas. That means only a place on the bench for wings Andrew Wagstaff and Neil McKim, behind Aaron Takarangi and Rhys Shorney.

New Zealander Takarangi is set to be given another chance to impress after ironing out ball- retention and defence weaknesses.

Ruddock said: "I'm quite keen to keep things as they were against Bridgend. Our boys coped well with the likes of James and Thomas.

"I want to use the squad to look at a few options - three games in a week will be very demanding."

After a 22-14 win over Vale and a narrow win over Caerphilly, Swansea's luck ran out last Friday as Nicky Little scored 12-debut points.

Ruddock said: "They were there for the taking when we played them and Caerphilly did the same, so it was a case of third time unlucky against Pontypridd. Scott Gibbs has been immense, but even he couldn't get them out of trouble."

Ebbw Vale squad: M Jones, D Penisini, R Mills, J Phillips, J Evans, C Billen, O Booyse, N Edwards, K Tuipulotu, R Williams, P Williams, K Ellis, A Bevan, G Cull, R Watts, S Mitchell, D Weatherley, P Matthews, R Shorney, A Takarangi, A Wagstaff, M James.

*PICTURED: Ebbw Vale's Mike Ruddock wants to stick with Rhys Shorney (right) and Aaron Takarangi.