Glamorgan Wanderers took a giant step towards retaining their Principality Premiership status with a last gasp 16-13 victory over SWALEC Division One East champions Ebbw Vale.
Trailing 13-9 with only three minutes remaining, the Cardiff club snatched victory from the jaws of defeat courtesy of a try from man of the match Josh Navidi. Gareth Cull, who also kicked two penalties, converted to make sure of a winner takes all game against Division One west champions Bridgend next Saturday evening.
Should they win that game, at Cardiff Arms Park, they will play for another season, at least, in the Premiership. Should they lose, they will be relegated and Bridgend will return to the top table.
After a first half littered with errors, the sides were locked together at 3-3. Outside half Thomas Marks dropped a goal to give Wanderers the lead before Dorian Jones levelled matters with the first of his three successful kicks.
Neither side looked capable of crossing the whitewash in an equally error strewn second period that saw Cull put Wanderers 9-3 to the good with successive penalties. However, a Jones penalty for Vale and a penalty try – for deliberately wheeling a scrum close to the Wanderers’ line – put Vale into a 13-9 lead with eight minutes remaining.
It should have been enough and would have been had it not have been for a cruel bounce of the ball. Wanderers scrum half Tom Rowlands appeared to have taken the wrong option when he chipped away possession deep into the Vale 22. .However, the ball bounced awkwardly over the heads of the Vale defence and Navidi collected and duly touched down for Cull to convert.
Scorers
Glamorgan Wanderers Try: Navidi; Con: Cull; Pens: Cull (2); Dg: Marks
Ebbw Vale Try: Pen; Con; D Jones; Pens: D Jones (2)
