CAPTAIN Ronny Kynes is intent on leading Ebbw Vale to a win at home against Carmarthen Quins tonight after admitting he didn’t sleep well after his team’s display in their derby defeat to Newport.

The Steelmen lost for the fourth game running when they were beaten 27-20 by the Black and Ambers last Friday, a match that marked the skipper’s 200th Ebbw appearance.

Kynes is hoping things will be very different when Quins make the trip to Eugene Cross Park (kick-off 7.15pm) for another big east versus west Principality Premiership showdown.

Ebbw, eighth in the table, are expected to have key forwards Rhys Clarke and Ashley Sweet available following spells out injured.

“Things didn’t quite go to plan,” said Kynes when reflecting on the Newport reverse. “I thought we were in control at 17-3 up, but I got a yellow card and they came back to win.

“It wasn’t meant to be and we were all bitterly disappointed with the result, but there are no excuses.

“We’ve had a good week in training and we’re all looking forward to the Carmarthen game.

“We’re in a bit of a rut at the moment so we’re ready to go again and stop the rot.”

When asked what has been missing in recent weeks, he added: “I wish we knew. We’ve played a couple of the top teams and, I don’t know, maybe we’re showing them too much respect and fearing we’re going to be beaten.

“We need to go into games with confidence and we’re going to leave everything out there against Quins.

“We owe the supporters a performance. I wish we could have played again last Sunday, it’s been a long wait to put it right.

“I hardly slept after the Newport game thinking of the things that went wrong, but there’s no point dwelling on it, we’ve got to get back out there and try to put things right.”