EBBW VALE slipped to yet another defeat against neighbours Merthyr to end any hope they had of sneaking into the Principality Premiership tier one play-offs, writes Geoff Champion.

Defending champions Ebbw had the slimmest of chances of reaching the play-offs but their fate was sealed long before the end of this tough encounter as the Ironmen ran out deserved winners.

Damien Hudd, playing his last game for the Steelmen as captain after seven successful seasons at the helm, tried hard to galvanise his team but Merthyr proved too strong, despite making a string of changes with the play-off semi-finals very much on their mind.

Ebbw’s points came from a 21st-minute try by star forward and hooker Joe Franchi, another by number-eight Jonathan Davies deep in first-half injury time, a 71st-minute penalty try and a late touchdown by flanker Ronny Kynes. Fly-half Josh Lewis and centre David Langdon added the conversions.

Merthyr looked sharper than the hosts behind the scrum with full-back Martyn Thomas, number-eight Tom Daley, scrum-half Justin James and replacement back Adam Hoskins all snapping up tries.

Fly-half Dean Gunter had a great day with the boot, kicking a total of 15 points through three splendid penalties and three conversions.

Last season’s champions needed a bonus-point victory over Merthyr and hope that Pontypridd drew against RGC 1404 and neither side picked up a bonus point if they were to figure in the play-offs.

The Steelmen had already played Merthyr four times this term, losing on each occasion in the league, National Cup and the two Foster’s Challenge Cup matches.

The visitors, on the other hand, had sealed a home tie in the play-off semi-finals by beating Aberavon 34-23 at the Wern a week earlier.

Ebbw started brightly but Merthyr took the lead in the eighth minute when centre Langdon’s attempted long pass to Kynes was intercepted by Thomas who sprinted 80 metres for a try. Gunter kicked the easy conversion.

Hudd and his men expertly rolled the ball forward from a lineout inside the Merthyr 22 midway through the first half and Franchi was credited with the unconverted touchdown.

Daley pounced for a pushover try on the half hour which Gunter converted from wide out, but Ebbw hit back with yet another pushover try from a scrum by Davies, converted by Lewis, to make the interval score 14-12 in Merthyr’s favour.

But the confident visitors grew even stronger as the game progressed and were deserved winners in the end.

Ebbw Vale: D Haymond; N Preece, D Franchi, D Langdon, Ja Lewis; Jo Lewis (S Thomas 68), R Lewis (D Jones 55); R Jones ( I George 50), J Franchi (J Bowen 78), G Robinson (R Sevenoaks 50), D Hudd (capt), L Randall (J Bartlett 60), R Clarke, R Kynes, J Davies (D Rubasniak 75).

Scorers – Tries: J Franchi, J Davies, penalty try, R Kynes; Cons: J Lewis, D Langdon (2)

Merthyr: M Thomas; R Carter, D Bishop (A Hoskins 78), A Pincers, O Howe; D Gunter, J James (R Downes 60), N Travett (J Howe 50), C Tarrant (B Sier 40), R James (B Warren 68), C Locke (capt) (R Williams 66), N White, O Davies, T Daley.

Scorers – Tries: M Thomas, T Daley, J James, A Hoskins; Cons: D Gunter (3); Pens: D Gunter (3)

Ebbw Vale star man: Joe Franchi