Ebbw Vale 27 Cross Keys 17

THE fairytale continues for Ebbw Vale after they vanquished their Gwent rivals Cross Keys at Eugene Cross Park in their cracking Principality Premiership play-off to give them a shot at the title later this month.

The Steelmen have enjoyed a dream campaign after their four-year exile outside Welsh club rugby's top flight.

After being promoted from the Swalec Championship, Ebbw have taken the Premiership by storm and will have a crack at their first ever league title when they take on holders Pontypridd next week at Sardis Road on Sunday, May 17.

They were deserved winners in front of 2,000 fans to deprive the Pandy Park side their second successive Grand Final.

Keys had got off to a great start when their No 10 Ethan Davies struck over a fine penalty to give his side a 3-0 lead after two minutes.

But it was an advantage that lasted just seconds after they were penalised at the re-start, Vale outside half Ian Smerdon slotting a three-pointer of his own.

And he had his kicking boots on in the eight minute when he put the hosts ahead with a fine long range effort.

With Ebbw dominating territory and possession, they should have extended their lead after quarter of an hour only for Smerdon to miss what looked like a banker penalty attempt.

Keys threatened to score the game's first touchdown soon after when a neat chip through by Davies found centre Leon Andrews.

The visitors recycled well and went through the phases before tighthead prop Anthony Lott put lock Dan Hodge through a gap with a cute pass, but Keys were penalised as they looked favourites to score.

But Keys brought the scores level in the 21st minute when Davies put over a towering penalty.

Vale scored a corking try just before the half hour mark after second row broke through the Keys line with a superb run.

The ball then found itself in the hands of loosehead prop John Lavender who nearly crossed the whitewash before wing Tom James crashed over for an unconverted score.

Davies again kept Keys in touch with his third penalty in a ding-dong first half.

An overthrown lineout 40 metres out cost Keys seven points just before the interval when Vale kept the ball brilliantly on a counter attack and went thorough the phases before Lavender crashed over for a try, wonderfully converted from the touchline.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when their wing Lloyd Lewis was sent to the sin bin for pulling a man without the ball and Smerdon put them 21 -9 up from the ensuing penalty.

The first 40 minutes ended with the home side fully deserving their 12-point lead.

Keys started the second strongly but Davies, to the shock of almost everyone at the ground, missed a penalty in front of the posts early on which would have given them a major lift.

But Davies turned from villain to hero when his gorgeous break tore Vale to shreds and it led to a yellow card for the hosts when Ronny Kynes was yellow carded for pulling No 9 Ryan James when the Keys looked like scoring in the 50th minute.

The Pandy Park side went for broke and their No 8 Adam Powell crossed for an unconverted try after they patiently kept the ball and exploited their one-man advantage.

Keys threatened to turn the screw and they closed the gap to 21-17 when Davies kicked his fourth penalty with just under 20 minutes to go.

A huge penalty by Vale's Newport Gwent Dragons centre Carl Meyer restored his side's seven-point advantage with the game poised on a knife-edge.

With both sides making silly mistakes and showing signs of panic, it was left to Meyer to show nerves of steel to take his team ten points clear with another long-range effort.

Keys tried to get back into things but Ebbw held on for a famous victory.

Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond Owen Williams, Jordan Howells (Adam Jones 74), Carl Meyer Tom James; Iain Smerdon, Chris Thomas (Rhys Downes 66); John Lavender (Ross Jones 66), Mathew Williams, Rob Sevenoaks, Damien Hudd (capt), Ashley Sweet, Rhys Clarke (Gareth Williams 74), Ronny Kynes, Harrison Keddie (Cameron Regan 32).

Replacements: Rhys Francis, Luke Leddington, David Langdon.

Scorers: Tries: Tom James (28), Lavender (36), Conversions: Smerdon (36), Penalties: Smerdon (3), (8), (38), Meyer (64), (74).

Cross Keys: Elliott Jones (Polu Uhi 69), Lloyd Lewis, Leon Andrews (capt), Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge, Ethan Davies, Ryan James (James Leadbeater 65), Luke Garrett (Richard Cornock 66), Darren Hughes, Anthony Lott (Leon Brown 65) , Danny Hodge, Simon Williams (Tom Lampard 57), Jack Condy, Scott Matthews (Ryan Lee 79), Adam Powell.

Replacements: Henry Palmer, Reuben Tucker.

Scorers: Tries: Powell (52) , Conversions, Penalties: Davies (2), (21), (31), (61.

Referee: Gwyn Morris (Cardiff).

Argus star man: Ashley Sweet