THE Steelmen failed to stop Llandovery from winning their third game out of four in the second phase of the Principality Premiership, writes Huw S Thomas.

They were fancied to continue a good winning streak but found the Drovers a tough nut to crack in the icy conditions.

Coach Greg Woods put the defeat down to a poor first half when they failed to make sufficient use of the elements.

“With driving wind and snow in our favour we did not have the composure to put them under pressure and we also gave the ball away too many times,” said Woods.

“We failed to turn them often enough and so found their in-face defence hard to break down.

“We played better into the wind but their kicking game made life difficult and we had to develop attacks from deep far too many times.”

There was a horrendous start to the game for the Steelmen when home hooker Dafydd Hughes got a try after just two minutes, catching the Ebbw defence asleep by sprinting away from a lineout to dive over in the corner.

Thereafter the visitors had most of the possession and territory but failed to exert their usual pressure on the scrum and all they had to show for it was two long-range penalties by fly-half Dai Langdon.

Fly-half Jack Maynard put the Drovers back into the lead soon after the interval with a 40-metre penalty and another Maynard penalty made it 11-6.

Ebbw were continually forced to pick and go from deep with flankers Rhys Clarke and Ronny Kynes prominent.

But an infringement near halfway saw Maynard put over his third penalty.

A Maynard miss-kick in front of his own posts put Llandovery in trouble but the Ebbw forwards failed to capitalise, being held up on the line.

Ebbw replacement Lance Randall made an impact but the home forwards, reinforced by back-rowers Stuart Worrall and Richard Brooks, also gave Llandovery fresh impetus.

A fracas saw Llandovery’s Duane Eager and Ebbw lock Chris Parker yellow-carded and the Steelmen’s fate was sealed with a Maynard penalty from well inside his own half.

Scorers: Llandovery - Try: D Hughes; Pens: J Maynard (4)

Ebbw Vale - Pens: D Langdon (2)

Llandovery: K Jones; L William (D Pritchard 80), R Evans, R Wall, A Warren; J Maynard, S Maynard (A Davies 75); B Watkins (L Green 69), D Hughes (R Guest 69), S Jenkins (J Bamsey 69), J Jones (L Ellis-Jones 75), M Jones, D Eager (capt), E Price (R Brooks 69), S Miles (S Worrall 40).

Ebbw Vale: D Haymond; T Fricker, J Lewis, D Franchi, S Thomas (T Hoppe 64); D Langdon (L Dennett 70), D Jones (S Ireland 64); J Harries (J Rogers 73), J Franchi (R Francis 64), R Sevenoaks (S Hicks 58), K Parker, J Jacas (L Randall 45) R Clarke, L Young (J Davies 73), R Kynes (capt).

Ebbw star man: Lance Randall