April 5th: Crosskeys 26 Ebbw Vale 14

HOME > April 5th: Crosskeys 26 Ebbw Vale 14

An Ashley Sweet brace was not enough to sustain Ebbw’s superb Premiership winning run, as Crosskeys took the spoils 26-14 in the half light at Pandy Park.

It took Keys just three minutes to go ahead when an attempted clearance by Ebbw scrum half Tom Edwards was charged down, giving Rhys Jones a simple run in for a try that he also converted. Ebbw turned up the heat and gained a good foothold in Keys’ territory, but the home defence was solid and, when Key’s eventually broke out, wing Lloyd Lewis benefited from some disappointing tackling to dance infield and score under the posts. Dragon Jones converted to give his team a 16 point cushion.

Ebbw’s first score came from a Keys error, with an overthrown lineout gathered by Mathew Williams who showed a wonderful turn of pace towards the tryline. Although he was hauled down short, his packmates were in support and Ashley Sweet crossed. Iain Smerdon’s conversion made the score 16-8 at half time.

A well-struck early penalty by Rhys Jones extended the home side’s lead to 18-8, before Ebbw came right back in it with the forwards’ power securing Sweet’s second touchdown. Smerdon’s conversion went wide and the game was well set at 18-14. Ebbw were by now having the better of territory and possession, but often failed to capitalise or were thwarted by one or two interesting adjudications by Mr Hodges. In the event, the final say went to Crosskeys’ replacement hooker, Darren Hughes with a clever blindside sneak from an attacking lineout. Jones again converted to make the score 26-14.

Ebbw went all out for the score that would give them a bonus point and came so close, backs and forwards combining brilliantly in wave after wave of attacks and eventually crossing the line only for the try to be ruled out for a knock on. It was that sort of night.

Crosskeys deserved the victory and must now be in with a good chance of making the play-offs while Ebbw, who remain on top of the Premiership, now have to focus on winning their final game, against Aberavon on the 24th, and hoping that other results go their way.

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Nid oedd dau gais gan Ashley Sweet yn ddigon i sicrhau buddugoliaeth i Lynebwy, a daeth eu cyfres gwych o ddeg gêm heb golli, i ben, gan golli 26-16 yn erbyn Crosskeys yn y gwyll ym Mharc Pandy.

Aeth Keys ar y blaen ar ôl tair munud gyda Josh Skinner yn siarsio lawr cic Tom Edwards a Rhys Jones yn mynd drosodd am y cais. Trosiodd Jones ei gais ac roedd Keys yn arwain gan 8-0. Ymatebodd Glynebwy cyn pen dim, yn ennill tiriogaeth a meddiant, ond yn ffaelu sgorio yn erbyn amddiffyn cryf y tîm cartref. Yn y pendraw, dihangodd Keys a sgoriodd asgellwr Lloyd Lewis gais dan y pyst; gwaith da gan Lewis ond taclo eitha siomedig gan Lynebwy. Trosiodd Jones, a 16-0 oedd y sgôr.

Daeth sgôr cyntaf Glynebwy drwy gamgymeriad gan Keys; aeth tafliad i linell yn rhy bell ac roedd bachwr Mathew Williams y cyntaf i ymateb, cael gafael yn y bêl a dangos ei gyflymder tua linell gais Crosskeys. Er iddo gael ei dynnu i lawr, cyrhaeddodd ei gydchwaraewyr, ac aeth Ashley Sweet drosodd am y cais. Ychwanegodd Iain Smerdon dau bwynt i wneud y sgôr yn 16-8 ar yr egwyl.

Estynwyd mantais Keys yn gynnar yn yr ail hanner, ar ôl i Rhys Jones lwyddo gyda chic cosb, cyn i Glynebwy daro’n ôl trwy nerth y blaenwyr i sicrhau ail gais i Sweet. 18-14, â’r gêm yn y fantol. A dweud y gwir, roedd Glynebwy erbyn hyn yn cael y gorau o diriogaeth a meddiant, ond yn aml yn methu â manteisio, neu gael eu rhwystro gan ambell i ddyfarniad ‘diddorol’ gan Mr Hodges. Fel y bu hi, aeth y gair olaf i fachwr Crosskeys, Darren Hughes, gyda rhediad clyfar ar yr ochr dywyll i sgorio yn y cornel. Unwaith eto, trosiodd Jones, a 26-14 oedd y sgôr.

Helodd Glynebwy yn ddwys am y sgôr a fyddai’n rhoi pwynt bonws iddynt. Daethon nhw mor agos, olwyr a blaenwyr yn cydweithio a chyfuno’n wych mewn ton ar ôl ton o ymosodiadau ac yn y pendraw yn croesi’r llinell… ond aeth y bêl ymlaen yn ôl y dyfarnwr. Sut noson oedd hi.

26-14 oedd y sgôr terfynol, ac roedd Crosskeys yn haeddu’r fuddugoliaeth. Mae Glynebwy dal ar frig yr Uwchgynghrair, ond bydd rhaid iddynt ennill eu gêm olaf – yn erbyn Aberafan ar y 24ain – a gobeitho bod canlyniadau eraill yn mynd o’u plaid nhw, os ydyn nhw i fynd trwodd i’r gemau ail gyfle ar ddiwedd y tymor.

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