THE obituary may be written but Ebbw Vale don’t intend on it being published any time soon.
The Steelmen edged to a tense 22-12 victory over Pontypool on Saturday to cut the gap to their Gwent relegation rivals to eight points.
They may not have managed to secure their first four-try bonus of the season but Gareth Bowen’s penalty three minutes into stoppage time crucially denied the visitors an extra.
It is still advantage Pooler – they just need to avoid defeat or gain two bonus points from their games with Newport and Aberavon this week – and maybe Saturday only delayed the inevitable.
But Ebbw have kept their hopes alive, no matter how slim they are.
Not only do they need two wins from two but they need a bonus point as well, though anything is possible given that they face a hideously out of form Glamorgan Wanderers side and a Neath outfit that could have the title wrapped up.
One thing is for sure, the side that stays up this season won’t be the only victors from the nervy finale – Gwent chemists will have done a roaring trade in sleeping tablets as scores of households in Pontypool and Ebbw Vale attempt to avoid restless nights.
There was a feeling of mutual respect on Saturday, that both clubs would rather be battling against other members of the Premiership.
And the game was played in front of a bumper crowd at Eugene Cross Park to provide further evidence of the pay day that the other 12 clubs will be denied next year.
But it is dog against dog and the Steelmen, who had been toothless all season, proved to have the bigger bite.
They crossed for the only two tries of the game – with a pair of Ebbw stalwarts getting on the scoresheet – and prevented their own line being breached by a Pooler side that has been running in tries for fun.
The Ebbw Vale back row of Rhys Williams, James Thomas and Rhys Jenkins was immense, completely outplaying their in-form counterparts.
The hosts won the battles of the scrum and line-out and smashed Pooler at the breakdown and prop Aaron Coundley was the star of the show.
The 20-year-old did the basics well but was even better in the loose where he tackled everything.
The Dragons Academy loosehead will probably find himself playing elsewhere next season regardless of what division Ebbw are in.
But don’t count on him wearing black and amber too much, on this form the lad is sure to be in the mix with Paul Turner’s side.
Saturday’s game was one of missed chances at both ends and Ebbw will reflect on opportunities that could have led to a four-try bonus while Pooler look back on those that could have sealed their top-flight status.
A lack of cutting edge was combined with a high error count in the ‘red zone’ and that could well have been down to the occasion.
Both teams could well have crossed the whitewash at least three times but the only man who did manage to get over was Vale’s Mathew Williams.
A patient attack was rewarded when the lively hooker went over in the corner in the 14th minute after good work by centre Matthew Lewis.
The score was 8-6 at the break after a penalty by Ebbw fly-half Gareth Bowen and two from Pooler full-back Geraint O’Driscoll.
The story of the second half was Ebbw’s suffocating defence, with the visitors hurried into mistakes and forced to play in areas that couldn’t hurt the hosts.
Vale director of rugby Rowland Phillips stressed before the game that Pooler are a dangerous side when their tails are up. His side didn’t allow that to happen.
Pooler were hindered by poor discipline and their game management was appalling, something not helped by the early withdrawal of fly-half Sam Mills after a knock to the right thigh.
Bowen knocked over a pair of penalties before O’Driscoll responded with one of his own on 75 minutes to get Pooler back into bonus point territory at 14-9.
But wing Andrew Bevan went over in the left corner to seal the win on 78 minutes after a determined work by full-back Andrew Williams.
A dramatic finale saw O’Driscoll boot another penalty only for under-par flanker Cae Trayhern to gift away the bonus point with a silly offside that Bowen punished.
So the relegation battle continues with Pooler having the chance to seal their top flight status by avoiding defeat when they host Newport on Wednesday.
If they fail to do so then Saturday will be just as tense as the one seven days earlier.
Ebbw Vale: A Williams, S Powell, L Phillips, M Lewis, A Bevan, G Bowen, A Jenkins (captain), A Coundley, M Williams, M Jones (A Howells 45), N Eaves, J Griffiths, J Thomas, R Jenkins, R Williams.
Scorers: tries - M Williams, A Bevan; penalties - G Bowen (4) Pontypool: G O’Driscoll, S Taylor, C Macey (G Williams 44), P Price, D Connolly, S Mills (T Hancock 15), C Morgan (J Evans 77), J Jeune, R Buckley, N Blake (L Davies 54), R Bowen, D Critchley, G Morris (captain), C Trayhern, M Allen (S Pailor 68).
Scorers: penalties - G O’Driscoll (4) Referee: Tim Hayes (WRU) Argus star man: Aaron Coundley
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