Superb Steelmen back with a bang – Ebbw Vale 30 Llandovery 29

It marked the famous club's return to Welsh club rugby's top flight after a four-year exile.

Not only was it a vitally important on the field but also a poignant one as two late local heroes were remembered.

There was a minute's silence before kick-off as a mark of respect for Lee Banks who died at the age of 38 while on holiday with his family in Tunisia this May.

The second row was a popular figure who played for the Steelmen in some famous victories, including the stunning win over four-times Heineken Cup champions Toulouse in that tournament back in 1998.

And the weekend saw the opening of the Clive Burgess Terrace, named in honour of the colourful back row forward who passed away eight years ago.

A winner of the Triple Crown during his debut international season with Wales in 1977, the merchant seaman went on to win nine caps before leaving Eugene Cross Park to live and play in Italy.

It was fitting that on such a meaningful day that the two sides served up a wonderful spectacle.

The game could have gone either way but Vale deserved their triumph, their powerful pack paving the way for victory.

It could have been snatched away for the Swalec Championship winners at the death by a very decent Llandovery side who so narrowly missed out on making the Principality Premiership play-offs last season.

Replacement wing Sam Soul crossed for a try in the 79th minute for the Drovers to give their outside half James Garland the chance of breaking the hosts' hearts with his tricky conversion attempt.

But dread turned to delight for the passionate Vale fans when his effort sailed narrowly wide, the home side clinging on to see the game through in the final seconds.

Vale did make life difficult for themselves after dominating territory and possession for the majority of the match, their formidable forwards likely to trouble most of their opponents this season.

The tale of the match was, to put it simply, a battle between the Steelmen's brute power up front and the Drovers' inventive backs who are capable of causing havoc on the break.

It was two tries from deep against the run of play which put the hosts in a hole approaching half time as they trailed 18-5 when they should have probably been leading.

Lightening fast scrum half Lee Rees put the visitors up early on after he intercepted Vale number eight Spencer Gibson’s pass from the base of the scrum to race home for an unconverted try.

Gibson and teammate, lock Ashley Sweet, had earlier caused havoc in the visitors’ defence by tearing into the Drovers’ half.

But it was Garland who put his side further ahead with a penalty before Vale’s trump card, their driving lineout, saw wing Wes Cunliffe join the pack and crash over for an unconverted try.

It was short lived however because Cunliffe went from hero to villain when he was yellow carded after visiting centre Mike Evans came so close to scoring a stunning try, again on the counter attack against the run of play.

He was brought down just before the try-line and the winger killed the ball at the ruck to receive ten minutes in the bin with referee Ian Davies awarding a penalty try for Llandovery which Garland converted.

Crucially Vale struck back just before the interval when flanker Ronny Kynes was driven over for an unconverted try, an entertaining half ended with the Steelmen trailing 18-10.

Despite losing their captain and influential lock Damien Hudd to injury in the 50th minute, the second half belonged to Vale who put the Drovers under immense pressure.

Smerdon and Garland exchanged penalties before Vale made the breakthrough when Sweet scored an unusual try after racing home between a huge gap after catching the ball at a lineout.

Smerdon's conversion brought them back to within a point at 21-20.

Vale had the bit between their teeth now and when the Drovers lost hooker Luke Lewis to the sin bin with 15 minutes to go for infringing at a ruck, the writing was on the wall.

Smerdon kicked the ensuing penalty in front of the posts to put his side ahead for the first time.

It didn't last long because Garland was on target again with his fourth penalty.

But the Drovers were soon down to 13 men when their full back Rhys Williams was yellow carded for killing the ball at a ruck as Vale went in search of a hard-earned triumph.

They got their reward when they were awarded a penalty try after number eight Richard Brooks kicked the ball out of the back of an Ebbw Vale scrum.

Smerdon’s conversion put them 30-24 ahead but there was still time for the dramatic finale.

A delighted Jason Strange, the Steelmen’s head coach, said: “This was a fantastic battle between two good sides and a superb advert for the Premiership.

“We showed tremendous character to come back from 18-5 down to get a bonus point win.

“It was a little closer than I would have wanted! But what a top effort.”

Vale’s forwards coach Duane Goodfield added: “This was an emotional day which meant a lot to the club.

“We knew we had gifted them a lot of points in the first half through two breakaway tries but we were confident we could come back.

“I thought our scrum and driving lineout were superb.”

Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond, Wes Cunliffe, Nathan Preece, David Jones, Owen Williams, Iain Smerdon, Dai Jones (Christopher Thomas 62), Ross Jones (John Lavender 62), Matthew Williams, Gethin Robinson (Robert Sevenoaks 69), Damien Hudd (captain) (Rhys Clarke 50), Ashley Sweet, Cameron Regan, Ronny Kynes, Spencer Gibson Replacements: Joseph Franchi, Aaron Harris, Ethan Davies, Jordan Howells.

Ebbw Vale scorers: Tries – Wes Cunliffe (24), Ronny Kynes (38), Ashley Sweet (62) Penalty try (76), Conversions – Iain Smerdon (62) (76), Penalties – Iain Smerdon (53) (65).

Llandovery: Rhys Williams, Kristian Phillips (Sam Soul 47), Matthew Jacobs, Mike Evans, Richard Williams (Rhodri Davies 54), James Garland, Lee Rees (Tom Ball 71), Dorian Williams, Luke Lewis, Andrew Jones (Steffan Jones 70), Bryn Griffiths, Matthew Harbut, Phil Day (captain), Shaun Miles, Richard Brooks.

Replacements: Greg Cunniffe, Richard Catchpole, Lawrence Reynolds, Ian Brooks.

Llandovery scorers: Tries – Lee Rees (8), Penalty try (34), Sam Soul (79), Conversion – James Garland (34), Penalties – James Garland (18) (28) (58) (72).

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

Argus star man: Ashley Sweet