EBBW Vale remain bottom of Welsh Premiership East at the first break of the season after a heavy 54-5 defeat at leaders Bedwas, writes Ian Golden.

Ebbw’s discipline has been an issue for much of the season and they didn’t make a good start to this game, giving away two early penalties.

Bedwas’s fly-half Lewis Evans looked to have sprinted over to give the home side a sixth minute lead, but the potential score was chalked off for crossing.

But Ebbw couldn’t build on their let-off. Bedwas regained the ball a minute later and Morgan Allen broke through to run under the sticks. Evans easily converted.

From kick-off, Ebbw were 14-0 down. Bedwas’ backs combined well and winger Matthew John scored in the corner. Evans converted well from the touchline.

And their heads went further down midway through the half when Michael Callow scored Bedwas’ third try and Evans converted from in front of the sticks.

Bedwas got their bonus point try on 28 minutes after a beautiful when John ran through for his second. Tom Rowlands soon dived over for the fifth with Evans converting both well.

However there was still time for Ebbw to get their first try of the name in the last play of the half, coming from Kristian Parker in a nice move where he went just left of the sticks but it still went unconverted.

Ebbw looked to build on this momentum and pounded the Bedwas line at the start of the second period, helped by a 54th minute Rowlands sin-bin.

However 20 minutes of pressure was still not enough for them to cross the Bedwas line and when their opponents finally got an attack in, they scored through replacement Nicky Griffiths with Steffan Jones converting.

That was it for Ebbw. Their chances had gone and Bedwas got back in control.

Alun Rees broke away for a further Bedwas score which went unconverted and the same player got the last say with a final minute try to hammer the nail into Ebbw’s coffin. Jones converted for the final scoring action.

BEDWAS: M Hathaway; O Halford, R Wardle, M Callow, M John, L Evans (S Jones 59), T Rowlands (N Griffiths 64); B Toms (D Preece 51), D Rogers (A Rees 51), C Budgen (L Bridges 50), J Richards, A Waite (G Edmunds 64), D McGuigan (N Hudd 58), G Lee, M Allen.

EBBW VALE: D Haymond; G Payne (T Fricker 51), J Lewis, D Langdon, S Majkic, C Hall (D Franchi 62), C Lewis (D Jones 62); R Jones (J Harries 61), R Francis (M Williams 71); R Sevenoaks (J James 26), J Davies, L Randall (J Franchi 62), K Parker, R Kynes (O Jones 33), C Regan. Referee: Neil Chivers (RFU)