Ebbw Vale 22 Llandovery 24

Despite a much improved performance, especially from the excellent and hard working pack of forwards, Ebbw went down to another disappointing home defeat against opposition that we used to take in our stride.

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Leading 16-10 at the internal (including 1 try - count it!), Llandovery's pace and power in midfield took its toll on the multi tackling home defence.

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Ebbw are giving it their all, but a lack of creativity and pace behind the scrum is costing us dearly in the relegation dogfight. For the moment Pontypool's dire straits are keeping us off the bottom of the table, but will that continue?

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1st half pics and clips
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2nd half pics

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Bedwas 21 Ebbw Vale 3

Shapeless, leaderless dross.
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It's difficult not to write anything else after another abject Ebbw Vale display meant that the team has only scored 4 tries in the last 8 and a half games.

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Individual players are trying hard but that's the problem, they look like individuals playing without guidance, style or a game plan.

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Playing with a strong wind in the first half, the Steelmen totally failed to turn pressure into points as chances were spurned, not least 4 kickable penalties (one of which would have been kicked in Junior School rugby), and were behind 6-3.

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Predictably, Bedwas used the wind to their advantage after the break and, following another ludicrous decision by Ebbw's captain calamity Andrew Jenkins to take a quick tap penalty inside our own 22, pounced to cross in the corner.

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Further pressure led a penalty and a converted try in injury time.

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It's disgraceful that even in mid/late October, we are anxiously glancing at other results, notably Pontypool's, in order to judge our potential to stay in the top flight.

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This can't go on like this for much longer.

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1st half pics
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2nd half pics
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Ebbw Vale 12 Cross Keys 36

It's getting desperate at Ebbw Vale, as 27 points (unanswered) in the last 20 minutes saw a fitter, quicker and more skillful Cross Keys emerge as comprehensive victors in this Gwent derby.

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It's a sad day at Eugene Cross Park when the biggest cheer goes up in derision as the Ebbw Vale captain and scrum half is substituted.

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Ebbw Vale were 12-9 up at one point in the 2nd half, but fell apart after taking the lead. Desperate defence led to a sin binning for centre Matthew Lewis, during which time the Keys scored 13 points.

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Vale pressure after a Keys 'binning' came to nothing for the home side, in fact it led to a breakaway Keys try. One more in injury time sealed an overwhelming away win.

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Vale's coaches Matthew McCarthy and Christian Loader are under pressure. Only winless Pontypool keep Ebbw off the bottom of the table.

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First half pics

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Second half pics and clips
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At 12-22, and Keys down to 14 men, Vale are still in the game until this try (enlarge on youtube):

Keys victory is complete with this try in injury time (enlarge on youtube):

November: The month of gigs

What a month November is looking like.
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It's virtually a month packed with fantastic gigs by fantastic bands.

First up is the magnificence of Magnum on the 1st of November at the Municipal Arts Centre in Pontypridd. What a night that will be.

Following that will be Y&T, Motorhead, Deep Purple and Dio.

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As I say, what a month.

Glamorgan Season Review 2009

I've done a review of Glamorgan's 2009 season over on fans blog Third Umpire. Just click here.

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By posting there it's gets out to a wider cricket audience.

Ebbw Vale 25 Llanelli 19

A win at last!!

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By God, we needed that. And it looked as though all of our huff and puff and hard work would go to waste as Llanelli camped in our 22 for most of the last quarter.

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But then, in injury time, we got the break we needed, as Llanelli lost the ball in midfield and some neat passing led to a sharp 50 yard dash from makeshift full back Andrew Williams. Gareth Bowen popped over the conversion, together with 6 earlier penalties, to seal the win.

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Full marks to all the players concerned for the efforts (Rhys Williams and Simon Pengelly were outstanding). There's no stars but the players worked their guts out, and have a win they deserve at long last.

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The players and supporters applaud each other as the relief is tangible at the final whistle.

1st Half Pics

2nd half pics

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and 1 video clip