Swansea survive

Swansea's pursuit of a cup and league double survived a spirited challenge from Ebbw Vale at Cardiff's club ground. Second-half tries by Mark Taylor and Aled Williams were crucial in ensuring that the All Whites return for the Swalec Cup final at the National Stadium next month.

But they will demand a more convincing display than this one. When Matthew Back's steepling kick found a yawning space in the Ebbw Vale 22 early on, Swansea's heavier pack made a mess of the attacking five-metres scrum it earned them.

It was typical of the fractured play in the opening stages. But Swansea were more effective in the sequence of play that brought them their first try after 19 minutes. Steve Moore's tap back off the top of the line-out enabled Andy Booth to get his backs moving. And after a neat loop by Williams around Scott Gibbs, the hands of Rob Appleyard, Back, and Taylor had Ebbw Vale's heels nervously scraping their own touchline. Taylor was tied in for a ruck but Swansea quickly recycled and Williams appeared again with a flat pass which squeezed Simon Davies in at the right hand corner.

It was possible to count on the fingers of one hand the number of times Ebbw Vale made any headway into Swansea territory in the first half-hour. But although Williams converted Davies' try, the outside-half was guilty of three shocking misses with penalty kicks at goal.

Thus the Steelmen were able to turn round only seven points adrift. They were given further hope when Byron Hayward sent over a well-struck penalty from close to the right touchline early in the second half.

Purely in terms of possession and territorial gain, though, Swansea were streets ahead. Gibbs made an encouraging return after five weeks injury layoff to restart his build-up to the Lions tour.

Yet Swansea, keen to deliver at least one trophy to their departing coach Mike Ruddock, badly needed to score more points.

This they did in a 17-minute period at the heart of the second half. Lee Davies, a replacement for the injured Back, made an instinctive break from his own half but Swansea still had plenty to do when Davies was brought to earth. Then Williams linked with Taylor and the centre forced his way over.

Williams kicked a penalty and Booth adroitly dropped a goal from the 22 as Ebbw Vale wilted. Then David Llewellyn's pass to Alun Harries was willingly snapped up by Williams who hared away for a 45-metre try.

Ebbw Vale's adeptness cheered their highly vocal following in a disappointingly small crowd, with two thrilling tries down the right wing by Harries and Ian Jeffreys.

Ironically, though, it was Williams, whose kicking woes had so dogged Swansea, who delivered the final blow with his second penalty from the last kick of the match.

Ebbw Vale: A Harries; I Jeffreys, J Hawker, M Boys, S Marshall; B Hayward, D Llewellyn; A Phillips, S Jones (A Lamerton, 73), D Bell, C Billen, J Lillas, B Watkins, M Jones, K Jones (capt).

Swansea: M Back (L Davies, 39); W Leach, M Taylor, S Gibbs, Simon Davies; A Williams, A Booth; I Buckett, G Jenkins (capt), S Evans, S Moore, P Arnold, A Reynolds, Stuart Davies (R Jones, 71), R Appleyard (D Thomas, 53).

Referee: D Bevan (Clydach).