EBBW Vale got off to a promising start in the Principality Premiership after holding on to win their opening campaign match away over a gritty Bargoed, writes Iwan Gabe Davies.

It was a hard-earned victory for the 2016 league champions and they had to dig deep to see off a late rally by the hosts.

The Steelmen took the lead early on when fly-half Callum Hall slotted a penalty after wing Steffan Thomas was taken out following a chip kick.

Their advantage was cancelled out in the 17th minute as the hosts got back on level terms after full-back Matthew Lewis got one back for the Rhymney Valley side.

But Vale were soon ahead again when Jonathan Davies crossed for an unconverted try almost from the restart, the number eight doing well to gather Hall’s cute cross-kick to catch Bargoed dozing in defence.

Both sides were finding it hard to build momentum in the first half, the Steelmen guilty of falling foul of Ian Davies in the scrum, the referee penalising them more than once, while the Bargoed Park outfit’s faltering lineout was the source of much frustration.

Just as an uneventful half looked to be coming to an end, Bargoed scored one of the most fortuitous tries you are likely to see after a seemingly innocuous kick ahead by Lewis.

The Eugene Cross Park outfit made a complete Horlicks of gathering the ball and former Steelman, centre Jordan Howells pounced on the ball.

Lewis, the initial architect of the visitors’ misery, handsomely converted from the touchline to give his side a 10-8 lead at the interval.

Bargoed’s dominant scrum earned them a penalty early in the second half which the ice cool Lewis again booted over to put his side five points up.

But Vale’s Dragons full-back Carl Meyer stepped up to put over a monstrous penalty to make it 13-11 just a minute later.

With Ebbw upping their game, replacement No 10 Lewis Dennett slotted over a penalty and drop goal to give them the points they deserved for all their possession and territory.

It also saw them retake the lead and they then put the game to bed when powerful wing Toby Fricker showed great predatory instincts to burst away for a converted try with 10 minutes to go.

A late penalty try from the powerful Bargoed scrum made it a very nervy finale for Vale as they were forced to face another attack.

Bargoed: M Lewis, D Dyer, J Howells, D Humphries, D Evans (L Smalley 56), I Smerdon (J Hallett 71), M Bancroft, R Morgan (capt) (K Brown 59), L Lippiett (L Meades 44), J Williams (S Evans 73), M Thomas, L Blacker, A Coupe (L Weyman 56), A Herbert, I Jones.

Bargoed scorers: Tries – J Howells, Penalty try; Conversion – M Lewis; Penalties – M Lewis (2)

Ebbw Vale: C Meyer, S Thomas, S Majkic (J Lewis 69), D Franchi, T Fricker (O Jones 73); C Hall (L Dennett 44), D Jones; R Jones (J Harries 44), J Franchi (L Belcher 56), R Sevenoaks (D Brooker 56), K Parker, L Randall; R Clarke, R Keynes (capt), J Davies (C Regan 44).

Ebbw Vale scorers: Tries – J Davies, T Fricker; Conversion – L Dennett; Penalties – C Hall, C Meyer, L Dennett; Drop goal – L Dennett.

Referee: Ian Davies (Porthcawl)

Argus star man: Toby Fricker