But his try hat-trick still wasn’t enough to clinch victory as Matt O’Brien stepped up to land a late, late penalty to clinch a thrilling 27-25 win for the visitors to make it back-to-back triumphs for them. The visitors had been trailing by a point going into the closing stages of the game after Ebbw Vale had originally overturned a 16-point deficit to take the lead.
Newport opened the scoring with centre Chay Smith crossing following a break up the touchline by winger Adam Sabri. Newport then got their second when loose head prop John Lavender powered over in the corner following a period of sustained away pressure.
Ebbw Vale hit back immediately with a try from full-back Haymond who found himself the beneficiary of a neat backs move from the hosts. The visitors then extended their lead with a try from full-back Haydn Simons to give them a 17-5 half-time lead.
The Black & Ambers started the second half as they finished the first with Simons crossing for his second to give the visitors the try bonus point. Despite trailing, Ebbw refused to give up with Haymond crossing for a further two scores to record a hat-trick of tries to put the hosts ahead, but when victory looked almost certain, up stepped O’Brien to break Ebbw Vale hearts.
Cardiff centre Will Rees-Hole was another hat-trick hero, but he at least ended up on the winning side as he guided the Blue & Blacks to a 46-19 win over Cross Keys at the Arms Park to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
The capital city side scored six tries in total, with scrum-half Lewis Jones, Wales U20 centre Owen Lane and No 8 James Sheekey joining Rees-Hole on the scoresheet. Centre Barney Nightingale, hooker Rob Jones and replacement full-back Nathan Trowbridge got the touch downs for Cross Keys.
Rees-Hole was a constant threat throughout with his pace and power proving too much for the visitors to cope with. Despite the heavy scoreline, the first half was extremely competitive with Cross Keys leading 14-13 at the break following a long-range try from promising young Dragons talent Nightingale.
The hosts’ defence kept them in the game in the first-half with a number of handling errors undermining their attacking game, but that all changed after the break. Cardiff upped the intensity in the second half with their Gwent opponents unable to cope with the forward power and pace behind the scrum of the home side.
Cardiff’s Wales U18 outside half Ben Thomas played a starring role, putting Rees-Hole in for two of his tries following some neat handling. The pick of the tries came through Rees-Hole’s third who burst down the touchline following some neat handling again from Thomas.
Bedwas still lead the way, though, in the East Division, thanks to a second consecutive bonus-point victory as they overcame Bargoed 37-5. They now lead Cardiff by two points.
The home side scored five tries through captain George Lee, lock Craig Hudd, replacement hooker Brynley Toms, prop Dale Rogers and Geraint Edmonds. Bedwas were far too strong for Bargoed who could only muster five points from Matthew Thomas.
To their credit, the visitors were competitive in the first half, with Bedwas being made to work hard for their points.
Back-row forward Lee powered over from short range after a series of forward drives for their first try. Bargoed winger Thomas scored from close range after a well-worked backs move to ensure the contest was close at 11-5 at half time.
But the Premiership pace setters upped their game in the second period with their pace and power being far too much for the visitors to cope with. Bedwas opened the second-half scoring with a try from Hudd, with hooker Toms being on the end of a good move to touch down soon after.
Replacement prop Rodgers was the second member of the front row union to score with a powerful drive. Back-rower Geraint Edmonds completed the try scoring to condemn Bargoed to their third defeat of the season.
Pontypridd scored five tries to record a 42-29 bonus-point victory over Merthyr to inflict a third successive defeat on the reigning champions. The success means they rise to third place.
Tries from Cardiff Blues centre Garyn Smith, hooker Corrie Tarrant, wing Dale Stuckey, lock Sean Moore and captain Dafydd Lockyer helped Pontypridd to their second win of the season at Sardis Road. Merthyr scored four tries of their own through winger Steff Andrews, full-back Mathew Jarvis, replacement scrum-half Justin James and winger Kyle Evans.
In a very tight and scrappy first half, outside centre Smith burst through some weak Merthyr defence to touch down for the opening try of the game which Diggy Bird converted. The Ironmen hit back when hooker Tarrant raced down the touchline for a score, with Mathew Jarvis’ conversion levelling the score at 10-10 at half time.
Pontypridd upped their intensity and physicality in the second period with winger Stuckey scoring a try from 50 metres out after bursting down the touchline. Moore was the beneficiary of another long-range Stuckey break, finishing off an excellent move to touch down for the home side’s bonus-point try.
To their credit Merthyr never gave up and kept fighting, but a Smith break put his fellow centre and veteran skipper Lockyer in for the try which put paid to any chance of a comeback from the visitors.
