EBBW Vale will aim to repeat one of their finest performances of the season to record a precious away win in their bid for the Principality Premiership Tier One play-offs.

The champions have at times spluttered in defence of their title and last week had to work hard to overcome Championship side Beddau 7-3 in a tricky WRU National Cup clash.

They edged out Cardiff for a place in the top half when the league split in two in January and have been beneficiaries of the points accrued in the first 15 rounds being scrubbed.

Ebbw were beaten by Bedwas at Eugene Cross Park at the start of Tier One but enjoyed a vital 15-6 win against Aberavon last time out.

Captain Damien Hudd knows that backing that up by beating the Quins on their own turf this evening would put them in a great position for a top-four berth ahead of a lull, with their next Premiership game against Pontypridd on March 17.

“It was a big win against Aberavon but we have to get another one and if you look down the fixtures a lot of teams are already in must-win situations,” said the lock, who was rested in Beddau.

“Bedwas are the only ones to have started well with two wins and it’s going to be really tight because everybody can get one of those play-off spots. Carmarthen have lost both of their games so will be desperate to beat us but if we can get an away win then it would really set us up.”

Ebbw triumphed out west last season and also romped to a 40-20 success when the teams met in Blaenau Gwent in November.

Tries by Chris Thomas, Liam Jones, Craig Duncan and Ben Papp earned a vital five-point haul and Hudd has called for more of the same at the Quins.

“It was one of our best performances of the season and we played some really good stuff,” said the Premiership player of the season for 2015/16.

“We want to play good rugby and not just try and dominate up front but we know that our set piece has to be good in Carmarthen and we have to play with intensity.

“Travelling west on a Friday night doesn’t make a difference. There can be no excuses.”

The Quins opened Tier One with a loss at Ponty and were beaten 24-7 on home soil by Bedwas a fortnight ago.

The last two meetings between the sides out west have been settled by two points. Ebbw took the spoils 14-12 last season while it was a home win in November, 2014 when the Quins survived a late onslaught to emerge with a 26-24 success.

Tonight’s other Tier One fixture sees Llandovery head to Pontypridd.