EBBW Vale are thinking of taking out life insurance for their fans after another heart-stopping home display to open their Parker Pen European Shield account against Rovigo at Eugene Cross Park on Saturday night.

Those who avoid a heart attack will surely suffer a nervous breakdown if Vale continue to make life difficult for themselves on home soil.

After a narrow 18-13 win over Pontypridd, they suffered 26-21, 29-27 (after leading 20-3) and 18-17 home defeats by Swansea,Ulster and Bridgend respectively before Saturday's clash.

This time they were expected to cruise in against last season's ninth-ranked team in Italy. But instead Vale were forced to hold on by the skin of their teeth after falling away in the second half and finding themselves under immense pressure in the final quarter.

French referee Daniel Pruvot didn't help with numerous penalty awards against the Gwent side and a yellow card for Wales prop Iestyn Thomas.

But though coach Mike Ruddock's men immediately conceded a try on Thomas' dismissal, they held on for a vital success, just their second of the season.

In the first half Vale dominated the scrums and lineout, rolled the mauls and drove close to the scrum to keep Rovigo on the back foot.

And though the Italians enterprisingly ran what ball they received, their backs made no headway while Vale's, and acting skipper David Weatherley in particular, scythed through on more than one occasion.

But after grabbing a deserved 28-14 lead after 52 minutes and looking likely to go on to an emphatic success, Vale lost the initiative as Rovigo hit back with a change of tactics. Instead of running, they began to drive close to rucks and mauls themselves, keeping ball in hand well in the slippery conditions and grinding Vale down through several phases.

They in fact gave Vale a taste of their own medicine, twice grabbing tries after winning lineouts and driving mauls on and over the line.

Vale could not get their hands on the ball and when, after Thomas' card, Weatherley was robbed after taking a chip ahead close to his line for Rovigo outside half Andrea Scanavacca to score and convert, it was again a nail-biting finale.

Vale had fallen behind to a Scanavacca penalty after 35 seconds before driving a line-out for prop Martin Jones to score a try which put them ahead.

An exchange of penalties between Vale wing Gareth Cull and Scanavacca left Vale 11-9 ahead after 22 minutes before they grabbed a clear inititative.

But a dropped pass in midfield prevented one possible score before scrum half Gareth Betts put Weatherley through on the burst from the Rovigo 22, only for fellow centre Rhys Shorney to drop the ball.

He made amends a couple of minutes later, this time taking Mitchell's pass and racing over for Cull to convert for an 18-9 half time lead.

Straight after the interval Weatherley burst through again, linking with Shorney and flanker Paul Williams before Rovigo offended at a ruck on their 22 for Cull to add a penalty.

And though the Italians warned Vale of their fighting spirit with a try by replacement hooker Paolo Tellarini after a lineout and rolling maul, Vale hit straight back, with Cull converting.

But instead of going on to a hoped for big success, Vale made mistakes, began to panic and it became another tense finish for their hardy fans.

*PICTURED: Vale skipper David Weatherley storms ahead for Vale at Eugene Cross Park.