Ebbw Vale 33 Pontypool 10, SWALEC Championship, 01/03/14

Ebbw Vale completed another season double over Pontypool by comfortably completing a St David's Day bonus point victory at Eugene Cross Park.

I don't like Pontypool very much, and I am always happy to see us shove their pack around - I guess it's payback for the 1970s and 80s. Yesterday again we saw their dirty niggardly side and it's credit to Ebbw Vale that they didn't get dragged down to their level.

The home side ran in 5 tries, 2 from scrum half Dai Jones, one from David James, one from Cameron Reagan and one from Ronnie Kynes. Quite frankly, it could have been 50 points had the last pass gone to hand, especially behind the scrum.

Referee Jonathan Hardy from Tumble (it might as well have been Russell Hardy) was abysmal. Bizarre interpretation of the breakdown and a list of mistakes made for a shambolic display. Pontypool should have had one red and a rash of yellow cards, added to some rather odd 50/50 calls, most of which went the visitors way. I'm a bit fed up with referees who seem to even up Ebbw's superiority in the division with benevolent officiating of the opposition.

Anyway, the Steelmen march on to the Championship title and remain 24 points clear of RGC. Next up are 2 away games at Tondu and Blackwood.