EBBW Vale coach Alex Codling hailed his troops after they had scored a crucial Welsh Premier Division victory over fellow strugglers Maesteg at Eugene Cross Park last night.

But Codling went on to explain things were not done and dusted regarding the relegation issue and Vale needed to take their home form on the road.

"Three home victories and a draw on the bounce have helped to transform our fortunes, but we must now perform at Newport on Saturday," declared Codling.

"Our victory over Maesteg proved similar to the one over Pontypool last Saturday - our forwards again dominated to set up danger out wide.

"However, one area that must improve is discipline as it was unacceptable going down to 13 men midway through the second half.''

Vale now face successive Saturday away games with Newport and Cross Keys before rounding things off with home fixtures against Llandovery and Pontypridd.

The victory over the Old Parish - achieved on a 4-1 try-count - lifted the Steelmen over both Llandovery and Carmarthen Quins and into 12th position.

The Vale forwards proved the better unit at both set pieces and in the loose where some driving mauls frequently knocked the Llynfi Valley side back.

After scrum-half Bryan Shelbourne had placed a third-minute penalty, a close range rolling maul set up a try for hard-working hooker Matthew Williams.

Shelbourne added the extras and it remained 10-0 until Maesteg got on the scoreboard in the 35th minute via a James Dixon penalty.

At this stage Maesteg seemed to be building momentum, but they committed suicide in opting to run a penalty close to their 22.

The wet ball was spilled, resulting in hooker Williams sending wing Simon Hunt over for a 36th-minute corner try.

A minute later it was the turn of fellow wing Andrew Bevan to latch on to a loose ball and claim the third home try.

Ahead 20-3 at the break, another Shelbourne penalty left Vale in even better shape, but things then took a sinister twist.

Wing Hunt and full-back Andrew McLaughlan were yellow carded within five minutes of each other, leaving the door open for Maesteg.

Wing Gareth John provided them with hope on the back of a 52nd-minute touchdown, converted by outside half Stuart Morris.

But they failed to find another gear - allowing the Steelmen to weather the storm - and get to terms with an increasingly scrappy battle of attrition.

And once they moved into calmer waters, a 15th league try of the season from Hunt, engineered in the 78th minute by Dragons utility back Sione Tuipulotu, rounded off an excellent night's work.

Ebbw Vale: A McLaughlan (A Whiteman 66), S Hunt, K Owen, M Griffiths (S Tuipulotu 54), A Bevan, J Hawker, B Shelbourne, J Cross, M Williams, L Williams (J Tilley 72), M Griffin, N Edwards, J Bowd (R Bowen 65), C Cleaver, J Lydiate. Scorers: tries: S Hunt (2), A Bevan, M Williams; conversion: B Shelbourne; penalties: Shelbourne (2). Yellow cards: S Hunt 47, A McLaughlan 52.

Maesteg: L Warner, J Dixon, J Devereux (P Smithson 65), A Brown, G John, S Morris, R Morgan, G Edwards, G Thomas (L Williams 39), S Tremlett (C Hopkins 74), G Ronan, M Collins (A Peever 46), G Bartlett (K Hocking 39), M Wareham, M Sainsbury.

Scorers: try: G John; conversion: S Morris; penalty: J Dixon.