By: Paul Hopkins
Ieuan Morris was the hero of the hour as he popped up with a match‑winning hat‑trick try with the last play of the game as the Steelmen held off a Swansea side reduced to 14 men after 29 minutes.
It could have been so much more for Swansea, who were down to 12 men at one stage, but a gutsy performance saw them come away with an unlikely pair of bonus points to keep up their challenge for an automatic place in the Super Rygbi Trophy quarter‑finals.
The visitors began well with centre Cameron Davies making a break and then flanker Ben Main spotted a gap in the middle, taking play up to the 22, but he was penalised at the next phase for holding on after the tackle.
It was an outstanding start for the home side when flanker Ethan Fackrell made good yards upfield, as the Whites got the ball out to their backs. Centre Callum Carson made an initial break, and he found the pacey full‑back Mat Protheroe, who slipped a try‑scoring pass to winger Liam Lloyd. Fly‑half Josh Phillips missed the conversion.
Protheroe was penalised for holding on after the tackle and fly‑half Tom Price chose to kick at goal, and he successfully reduced the deficit to two points.
The strong wind took a Protheroe kick over the dead‑ball line to gift Ebbw Vale a scrum inside the Swansea half. Number eight Jacob Hopkins stole possession at the breakdown, but opposite number Lewis Young was back in possession soon after inside the Swansea 22, although scrum‑half Matthew Aubrey was able to box‑kick clear.
A cheeky short lineout throw by hooker Rhodri King got the Whites on the front foot and a little grubber kick by Carson found touch a couple of metres short of the line. Flanker Sion Parry took the lineout and Price cleared, but he only made a few metres in the wind.
Lock Ben Roberts rose high to collect the lineout and the home side tried to use their backs, but Carson’s chip through sailed into touch.
Phillips missed touch with a penalty, and instead it was Main who charged forward with the home side penalised for offside, with Price kicking to touch.
The visitors’ forwards made solid yards from the lineout, with the ever‑dangerous Davies powering forward, but the Steelmen were penalised for holding on after the tackle.
Ben Roberts took a lineout and fellow lock Matt Dodd charged forward in midfield, but Ben Roberts dropped the ball. Instead, centre Dom Franchi counter‑attacked by sprinting 30 metres upfield, with lock Dylan Bartlett also making headway, before the visitors were awarded a penalty.
Disaster then struck for the home side when the touch judge stepped in after spotting foul play, recommending a red card for flanker Iwan Shenton for an off‑the‑ball shoulder challenge after the ruck. From the resulting penalty, Price chipped to the corner and hooker Morris charged over for a try. Price missed the conversion.
Hopkins peeled off a scrum on the Ebbw 22 and charged forward, but he was turned over. The visitors instead got the ball out wide to winger Dafydd Thomas, who chipped ahead, but full‑back Dylan Edwards was penalised for straying in front of the kick, allowing Phillips to chip into the corner.
Ben Roberts collected the lineout and Carson slipped a pass to winger Lewis Edwards as the Whites attacked, but a poor pass was dropped by Protheroe.
Phillips kicked to touch with a penalty and Ben Roberts again took the lineout, although a dangerous chip through was dealt with by Thomas who ran the ball into touch a metre short of the line.
Against all odds the home side grabbed a second try when Carson charged forward and was tackled high close to the line, but Edwards picked up the ball to squeeze over the whitewash. Phillips converted.
And the home side were in dreamland moments later when Protheroe took a pass from inside his own 22 and raced through the middle, drawing in a defender and sending a pass to Aubrey, who claimed a fantastic try. Phillips converted.
Half-time: Swansea 19-8 Ebbw Vale
Parry charged forward to gain important metres in the 22, but a mistake gave Swansea a much‑needed reprieve. Aubrey missed touch with his box‑kick to allow Thomas to sprint into the 22, but Protheroe tapped down the ball and was also yellow‑carded.
Price chipped to the corner and the Whites gave away another penalty to prevent what looked like an almost certain try, with the referee reaching for his pocket to send prop Kian Hire for a 10‑minute spell on the sidelines, leaving Swansea temporarily down to 12 men.
Price fielded a loose kick and an outstanding tackle by Ben Roberts knocked him backwards, and with his side unable to break through a determined Whites defence, Price chipped for touch in the 22. Parry took the lineout and a superb rolling maul saw Morris crash over for his second try. Price converted.
A Price kick from well inside his own half went dead in the strong wind, but the visitors were awarded a penalty soon after, which Price chipped deep into the Whites’ 22. The Ebbw Vale pack rumbled towards the line, but were prevented by a superb Swansea defence, and an injured Joe Rees‑Weldon was in the way so play had to stop.
The visitors got the ball out of the scrum with Franchi popping up on the crash ball, and the forwards kept the ball tight, before play was spread to Davies, who crashed over for a try. Price converted.
The home side were then awarded a penalty at the scrum and Phillips chose to chip into the corner. Ben Roberts collected the lineout and the home side got the backs into the maul, although Swansea were awarded another penalty for a dangerous tackle.
Sensing a chance to get back into the game, Phillips took a quick tap penalty and Ben Roberts was well tackled, before the ball was swept out wide to replacement centre Iwan Glynn, with substitute flanker Callum Bowden charging over for a try. Phillips converted.
Young collected a poor Aubrey clearance kick, with prop Luke Garrett powering forward, but Glynn came within inches of stealing in to intercept a loose pass, but he lost the ball forward.
The visitors were awarded a penalty at a scrum and Price found touch on the Swansea 22. A routine lineout saw the Ebbw pack drive forward, but winger Morgan Rees dropped a pass out wide.
Replacement lock Alfred Bateman‑Lloyd took a lineout and his side got the ball out to substitute flanker Harry Arundell, but he was penalised for holding on after the tackle. Instead, Protheroe took a quick tap penalty and replacement lock Theo Currie made a break on the wing, but lock Curtis Gregory was yellow‑carded for a dangerous tackle.
With the All Whites chasing an unlikely victory, Phillips kicked to the corner and Ben Roberts took the lineout. A powerful rolling maul by the home pack was illegally brought down with Swansea awarded a penalty try, and with it the lead four minutes into injury time. Prop Luke Garrett was yellow carded.
Ebbw Vale kept their patience and stayed in possession inside the Swansea 22, but without really getting anywhere. That changed when Thomas made a superb break that almost resulted in a try, and while at first a fantastic tackle by Glynn prevented the score, he was then yellow‑carded for failing to release the man in the tackle.
In the last play of the match, Price dinked the ball into the corner and a well‑worked lineout saw Morris crash over for a match‑winning try in the corner to break Swansea hearts at the death. Price missed the conversion.
Next up for Swansea is a home match against Bridgend, while Ebbw Vale host RGC 1404.
Full-time: Swansea 33-34 Ebbw Vale
Swansea:
Tries:- Liam Lloyd (4), Lewis Edwards (40), Matthew Aubrey (40+2), Callum Bowden (73), Penalty Try (80+4)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (40+1, 40+3, 74)
Yellow cards:- Mat Protheroe (44), Kian Hire (46), Iwan Glynn (80+9)
Red cards:- Iwan Shenton (29)
Ebbw Vale:
Tries:- Tom Price (6), Ieuan Morris (30, 52, 80+10), Penalty Try (46), Cameron Davies (65)
Cons:- Tom Price (53, 66)
Yellow cards:- Curtis Gregory (80+3), Luke Garrett (80+6)
Match facts:
Venue:- Broadacre, Dunvant
Weather:- Sunny, 9C
Man of the match:- Ieuan Morris
Attendance:- 250
Swansea team:
15 Mat Protheroe
14 Liam Lloyd (rep: Tom Mills 55-60)
13 Callum Carson (rep: Iwan Temblett 66)
12 Joe Thomas (rep: Iwan Glynn 22)
11 Lewis Edwards
10 Josh Phillips (cc)
9 Matthew Aubrey
1 Tom Crockett (rep: Ed Thompson 55)
2 Rhodri King (rep: Logan Lloyd 46)
3 Kian Hire (rep: Tom Mills 80+1)
4 Matt Dodd (rep: Jake Roberts 66)
5 Ben Roberts
6 Iwan Shenton
7 Ethan Fackrell (rep: Callum Bowden 55)
8 Jacob Hopkins (rep: Theo Currie 80+4)
Replacements:
16 Logan Lloyd
17 Ed Thompson
18 Tom Mills
19 Theo Currie
20 Jake Roberts
21 Callum Bowden (cc)
22 Iwan Temblett
23 Iwan Glynn
Ebbw Vale team:
15 Dylan Edwards
14 Morgan Rees
13 Cameron Lewis
12 Dom Franchi ©
11 Dafydd Thomas
10 Tom Price
9 Dan Buffery (rep: Carter Pritchard 68)
1 Luke Garrett
2 Ieuan Morris
3 Morgan Bossanko (rep: Adam Court 63)
4 Dylan Bartlett (rep: Joe Rees-Weldon 31)
5 Curtis Gregory
6 Ben Main (rep: Harry Arundell 68)
7 Sion Parry (rep: Alfred Bateman-Lloyd (80+4)
8 Lewis Young
Replacements:
16 Charlie Manship
17 Regan Jones
18 Adam Court
19 Alfred Bateman Lloyd
20 Joe Rees-Weldon
21 Carter Pritchard
22 Harry Arundell
23 Ryan Gardner