Bridgend 32 Ebbw Vale 6

IN ONE of the shocks of the season, Principality Premiership leaders Ebbw Vale were toppled by a rampant Bridgend Ravens in a cracking game at the Brewery Field as the struggling home side hit its best form of what has been a disappointing campaign.

Already hard hit by injuries, Vale lost both locks, Will Thomas with flu, and Neil Edwards, whose wife was due to have a baby by Caesarean section, forcing late changes, and they ended up with only six replacements on the bench.

Vale won the game at Eugene Cross Park earlier in the season 28-13 but the youthful Ravens have matured greatly since then and their backs looked sharp and dangerous, and in scrum-half Jonny Hooper they had easily the man of the match.

James Lewis and Aaron Bramwell had their moments while Ian George, Anthony Lott, skipper John Bowd and John McPhail worked hard up front to guarantee Vale a share of possession.

But it was the line-outs which proved Vale's downfall as the Ravens won their own ball quite comfortably and also stole several key Vale throw-ins as well.

Bramwell nudged Vale in front with an early penalty, soon cancelled out by one from home captain Gareth David.

From a line-out in the Vale 22, the Ravens set up quick possession in three phases before the ball was whipped out to Mark David, who fed Geoff Hobbs and then took the return inside pass and just managed to turn over the line for a try.

Bramwell added a second Vale penalty but some poor tackling allowed Connolly to swerve inside for a brilliant solo try from halfway. David converted to make it 15-6 at the break after Bramwell missed a fairly easy penalty in injury time.

A brilliant break by James Lewis soon after the restart was spoiled by a poor final pass, Bramwell hit the post with an easy penalty and another break by Michael Delore came to nothing.

A superb run by Connolly saw the quickly recycled ball whipped out to Mark David, who just made the line for a try converted by Gareth David. Andrew MacLaughlan was yellow- carded for stopping Connolly with a spear tackle. Then Hooper slipped away from a maul and raced 50 metres to give the Ravens their first winning bonus point of the season and seal a great victory.

Afterwards, Vale coach Pat Horgan said: "Our line-out fell apart without Will and Neil and it was Matthew Griffin's first game since last March.

"We fell off our first up tackles at times, but if we'd taken our two chances in that ten-minute spell in the second half I think there would have only been a point or two in it, but they then hit us with a breakaway try which turned the game.

"The squad is down to 19 players now, with John Bowd sustaining a torn muscle in the groin, and we're really missing Simon Hunt and Rhys Williams."

Bridgend Ravens: G David (captain)(G Knox 75), C Weightman, G Hobbs, G Howells (P Smith 62), D Connolly, M David, J Hooper, L Davies, S Baldwin (I Dobbs 75), G Dix (P Price 75), N White, M Powell, I Cunningham, J Jones, G Williams.

Scorers: Tries - M David (22, 58), D Connolly (37), J Hooper (70); cons - G David (37, 58, 70); pens - G David (17, 75).

Ebbw Vale: A MacLaughlan, J R Williams, J Lewis (K Owen 62), A Bramwell, A Bevan, M Delore, R Lewis (B Shelbourne 70), I George, R Wilkes (M Williams 62), A Lott (M Jones 70), M Griffin, W Jones, N Aiono (G Donaldson 70), J McPhail (C Attwell 75), J Bowd (captain).

Scorers: Pens - A Bramwell (2, 31).

Referee: Mr Gwyn Morris.