EBBW Vale clinched a richly deserved Premiership playoff spot with this their 14th win in 21 league games and their best yet, writes Huw Thomas.

And with Cross Keys losing to Pontypridd, this victory at Parc Y Scarlets iwill make the Steelmen favourites to finish second in the table and have home advantage in the semi final.

At the start of the season very few people thought that newly promoted Ebbw would be involved in the playoffs but they have confounded critics with their consistency and determination under the captaincy of uncompromising lock Damien Hudd.

Needing a win to make certain of finishing in the top three, they outpowered, outran and outthought a young Llanelli side from first to last to run in eight unanswered tries in a terrific display of rugby.

Coach Jason Strange was a proud man, saying: “It was an outstanding performance from a great set of lads who have done the club proud regardless of what happens over the next few weeks.”

Ebbw have just the one game left – away at Cardiff – and will be anxious to come away with a win to clinch second place to give them confidence for the semi-final playoff on May 9.

Ebbw started with a bang with their forwards monopolising possession and they were soon in the lead with a penalty by fly half Ian Smerdon.

Both wing Tom James and flanker Rhys Clarke were denied by desperate cover tackles but when a high Smerdon kick was left to bounce centre Jordan Howells put scrum half Chris Thomas dummying in under the posts for a converted try.

A harsh yellow card for Smerdon for not releasing had little effect on Ebbw dominance and the lead increased when powerful centre Carl Meyer raced in for a try he converted.

Home fly half Billy McBryde missed a second penalty before a line out take from Ashley Sweet ended with prop John Lavender driving over to make it 22-0 at the break.

It soon became 27-0 when wing James claimed the bonus point out wide and then some wonderful handling sent wing Owen Williams over, Smerdon converting.

It was all Ebbw and they ran in three more tries through lock Ashley Sweet and replacements Rhys Downes and Luke Leddington with some wonderful handling and passing to finished comfortable winners in a one side game that only confirmed their real chance of winning honours come the end of the season

Llanelli: J James (N Morris 40); S Pearce, M Pearce (J Rogers h/t), S Morris, R Thomas; B McBryde, D Smith (S Tudor 55); R Jones (R Fawcett 62), T Myhill (T Davies 55), G Havard (S Martin h/t), A Powell (capt), E Price, L Puckett (T Lloyd 55), C Price (R Osborn 70), O Morgan

Ebbw Vale: D Haymond (D Langdon 65); O Williams, J Howells, C Meyer (G Williams 69), T James; I Smerdon, C Thomas (R Downes 59); J Lavender (K Bale 49), M Williams (R Francis 59), R Sevenoaks (L Leddington 59), D Hudd (capt), A Sweet, R Clarke (C Reagan 52), H Keddie (T Watkins 65), R Kynes

Scorers: tries - C Thomas, C Meyer, J Lavender, T James, O Williams, R Downes, A Sweet, L Leddington; conversions - I Smerdon (3), C Meyer; penalty - I Smerdon

Referee: Gareth John (Chepstow)

Star man: Harrison Keddie (Ebbw Vale)