IF anyone at Ebbw Vale hadn’t realised before last weekend that their team was facing the very real prospect of a battle against relegation then they certainly do now after losing to Bridgend.

The home encounter with the Ravens would have been seen by supporters of the Steelmen as a perfect opportunity to put some daylight between them and the Premiership’s bottom club.

Starting the day one place and six points ahead of their visitors, Ebbw, who seven days previously had lost to fellow strugglers Swansea at Eugene Cross Park, had a third win of the season in sight.

However, Greg Woods’ men fell short again, once more by a three-point margin, as Owen Howe’s six penalties cancelled out tries for Dawid Rubasniak and Chris Coleman.

A losing bonus point for the Steelmen means they go into tomorrow’s game at the Talbot Athletic Ground against fourth-placed Aberavon just three points clear of Bridgend.

There is, of course, plenty of rugby to be played between now and when the season ends next April, but it will be very much a case of the sooner survival is guaranteed the better.

While Aberavon are a dozen points better off than Ebbw, the Gwent side has a better record than the Wizards over the last four weekends.

Aberavon haven’t won in the league since edging out Pontypridd at Sardis Road on November 2, after when they were beaten by Llanelli, Cardiff, Carmarthen Quins and RGC.

Indeed, it has been a season of two halves for Jason Hyatt’s charges.

Their recent form has been in complete contrast to the way they started the new term with five successive victories, the last of those being that single-point defeat of Pontypridd.

Tomorrow’s match is Ebbw’s last of 2019. They will be in action again on January 3 with a home game against reigning Premiership champions Merthyr.

Fixtures: Aberavon v Ebbw Vale, Bridgend v Swansea, Llandovery v Cardiff, Merthyr v Carmarthen Quins, Pontypridd v Llanelli.