AFTER a season that has prompted many at Eugene Cross Park to ponder ‘if only’, Ebbw Vale produced a weekend display that prompted a big ‘if’.

The Steelmen’s success over Glamorgan Wanderers means that IF they can retain the core of their squad then they have a chance of bouncing back to the Premiership at the first spin.

Pontypool’s magnificent late charge condemned Ebbw to Division One East and there are sure to be some hard months coming up.

The club has struggled financially this season but the 2009-10 budget is Abramovich-like compared to the money they will be working with next term.

But if some of the players, who must accept their portion of the blame for the relegation, do show some loyalty and stay on then they could help make Vale a force to be reckoned with.

If most head for pastures new – and the Dragons Academy trio of James Thomas, Rhys Jenkins and Aaron Coundley, the heartbeat of the current side, will be forced to go elsewhere – then it will be another tough old season.

Strides have been made at Vale since Rowland Phillips headed over, it’s just a shame for them that the change in fortune has come so late.

“If a pool of players stay here they will fly back up,” said backs coach Matthew McCarthy, who admits he doesn’t yet know what the future holds for the coaching team.

“We will probably lose a fair few players who want to play in the Premiership but you never know.

“Maybe some will show a bit of loyalty and stay on to help Ebbw Vale out. But I am the last person to preach about that, because as a player I went between a lot of different clubs.

“However, I speak from experience when I say that loyalty is a massive thing if players want to be fondly remembered by a club.”

Saturday was a remarkable encounter that looked likely to get ugly when the Wanderers had their four-try bonus in the bag with a quarter gone.

Flanker Josh Navidi, centre Charlie Johnson, wing Gareth Morris and wing Joe Xiberras raced over to put them 22-3 up against some shambolic defending.

It was only poor kicking from makeshift fly-half Dan Fish that kept the Wanderers, who had lost 11 games on the spin, from being in an even more dominant position.

“Come on Ebbw, show some pride,” was the call from the stand, and boy, did they respond, with an unlikely hero leading the way.

Loosehead prop Aaron Coundley has spent the last three seasons with Vale but Saturday was his last appearance.

He will miss tomorrow’s finale with Neath because he is required for a Dragons Development XV that take on Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404 in North Wales on Saturday.

However, Coundley crossed the whitewash three times to not only help Vale grab their first four-try bonus of the season, but also to race to the top of the hosts’ try-scoring chart.

It is strange to say that Vale enjoyed a try bonanza given they only crossed the line five times on Saturday (Neath managed 17 in their 109-21 win over Bedwas).

But the hosts had only managed 15 all season before the weekend so it was a staggering performance.

Vale came back from 22-3 down to lead 24-22 at the break thanks to close-range efforts from lock Nick Eaves and Coundley, a powerful run by centre Lloyd Phillips and some superb kicking from the tee by fly-half Gareth Bowen.

Xiberras edged the Wanderers back in front early in the second half after a cheeky Carlos Spencer-style banana kick from Fish, but Vale dug deep again.

Coundley was driven over for two more tries on 49 and 55 minutes – it was like the glory days of Alex Codling’s 2006-7 vintage with a well-drilled pack powering forward.

Bowen converted both and Wanderers couldn’t snatch the win despite a Fish penalty that got them back within a score.

There were plenty of terrific performers in the Vale ranks with Coundley excelling in the loose as well as crossing for a hat trick, and locks Nick Eaves and Jon Griffiths grafting away.

The pick of the bunch was inside-centre Matthew Lewis, who ran hard as well as stopping everything that came down his channel when the Wanderers were looking to come back late on.

But each and every member of the Vale squad played their part in a morale-boosting win that, combined with the previous week’s win over Pontypool, only adds to the if-onlys.

Ebbw Vale: A Williams, S Powell, L Phillips (N Wilcox 51), M Lewis, A Bevan (A Davies 68), G Bowen, A Jenkins (captain), A Coundley, B Parry (M Williams 78), N Hall, N Eaves, J Griffiths, T Mabbutt (C Jenkins 40, A Llewellyn 68), R Jenkins, J Thomas.

Scorers: Tries – N Eaves, A Coundley (3), L Phillips; conversions – G Bowen (4); penalty – G Bowen.

Glamorgan Wanderers: R Healey (O Marshall 40), G Morris (R Lock 22), C Johnson, S Rosser, J Xiberras, D Fish, T Rowlands (H Trelawny 75), N Trevett, D Smith (D Pearson 80), S Andrews ( M O’Leary 71), R Thomas M Al-Azzawi 46), A Luff, B Rose (captain), J Navidi, G Knight.

Scorers: Tries – J Navidi, C Johnson, G Morris, J Xiberras (2); conversion – D Fish; penalty – D Fish.

Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU).

Argus star man: Matthew Lewis.