SRC leaders Ebbw Vale strike late against Swansea
Ieuan Morris scored a hat-trick for Ebbw Vale against Swansea
- Published
Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC) leaders Ebbw Vale got back to winning ways by edging out Swansea at Dunvant thanks to Ieuan Morris' hat-trick.
The Steelmen strengthened their grip on top spot seven days after they lost the SRC Challenger Shield to Gwent rivals Newport at Eugene Cross Park.
Ebbw won 34-33 after a late try by hooker Morris, his third of a dramatic afternoon to add to a penalty try and a score by centre Cameron Davies.
Jason Strange's side are eight points ahead of Cardiff with just two fixtures left to play in the regular season.
Game of the round was at Church Bank as Llandovery and the Blue and Blacks scrapped for seedings and home advantage in the play-offs.
A red card for Drovers scrum-half George MacDonald in the 15th minute for a tip tackle on Steffan Emanuel proved to be costly.
Cardiff were leading 5-0 at the time and ran out 45-14 winners with their tries scored by centre Osian Darwin-Lewis (2), wings Dewi Cross and Tom Bowen, replacement back Joe Goodchild, flanker Ben Fry and loose forward Aled Ward.
Full-back Tomi Lewis and centre Adam Warren scored for Llandovery, who are now fourth behind Newport after they successfully defended the Shield for the first time when beating Bridgend 35-20.
Back-row forwards Kyle Tayler and Ben Roach, scrum-half Dafydd Buckland, wing Chay Foster-Smith and replacement hooker Henry Palmer scored tries for the Black and Ambers.
Corey Lewis scored a double for the Ravens while his fellow hooker McKenzie Scales and wing Macauley Rowley also went over in the closing stages for a bonus point.
RGC are aiming to avoid the wildcard round and moved into sixth courtesy of a 41-23 home win against Carmarthen Quins.
The north Walians scored six tries through scrum-half Connor Dever, fly-half Billy McBryde, centre Delwyn Jones, wings Caio Parry and Sam Jones and prop Osian Burt.
Aberavon piled the pain on bottom club Pontypool with a 38-14 win at the Talbot Athletic Ground.
Scrum-half Scott Whitlock scored a hat-trick as Aberavon led 24-0 at the break, although Brad Roderick was shown a red card as half-time approached. Number eight Ashton Evans and full-back Scott Delnevo went over in the second half.