Ebbw Vale took a massive step to reclaiming their Division One East title with the Steelmen dishing out a 68-8 thumping to Merthyr at Eugene Cross Park.
The Steelmen wrapped up the try bonus point before the break, crossing for ten tries in all with braces from Charlie Simpson, Wes Cunliffe, Tom Ashmead, and David Jones, with Dan Ajuwa and Dorian Jones also touching down.
Ebbw Vale now sit seven points clear at the top with a game in hand over rivals Bargoed, after they suffered a 16-14 home defeat to Newbridge when a dramatic late penalty seven minutes into injury time from Neil Burnett settled the tightly contested match.
In a tense affair, the scores were even at the break at 8-8. Gareth Davies touched down for the hosts with Mathew Hurley landing a penalty, negated by a Mark Edwards try and a Burnett penalty for their third placed visitors.
After the interval, Newbridge took the lead for the first time through an Andrew Quick try before two Hurley penalties restored Bargoed’s narrow advantage, but as a dramatic long range penalty from Burnett seven minutes into injury time sailed over, Bargoed’s hopes of the One East crown diminished significantly.
Meanwhile, Gilfach Goch stepped up their efforts to secure a top three finish with a comprehensive 41-7 victory over basement boys Tredegar.
Gil were held by a dogged Tredegar defence 7-7 at the break but after the interval, the floodgates opened as the hosts ran away with the match, scoring five touchdowns in all through Gareth and Ricky Walters, Ricky Friday and a brace from centre Adrian Williams. Full-back Ian Davies added the extras to all five tries and landed two penalties.
Tredeger, who have only won once this season, were restricted to a Ryan Bevan touchdown which Greg Jones converted.
Glamorgan Wanderers bounced back from their disappointing performance at Rumney last week to edge to a 24-20 win over Treorchy at the Memorial Ground.
The Wanderers got off to the better start crossing twice before the break through full back Tom Daley and centre Charlie Johnson, with Gareth Cull adding both conversions and a penalty, while the Zebras were restricted to two Celyn Ashton penalties.
It was a different story after the break, as Treorchy upped their intensity crossing for two tries of their own through Andrew Malling and wing Peter Hutchings, with Ashton adding the extras to both.
However, Johnson’s second touchdown of the afternoon sealed the win with Cull once again on target with the extras.
Elsewhere, Beddau bagged their tenth win of the season with a hardfought 26-21 home victory over Blackwood.
The hosts led from the outset and crossed for four tries through Steve Robinson, Glen Slater, Ieaun and Brad Coombes, while Robinson also added the extras to three.
Blackwood, trailing 19-7 at the break, produced a strong second half performance and secured a losing bonus point thanks to tries from Lloyd Exton and an Adam Jones double, with Jones also slotting all three conversions.
In the day's other fixture, there was nothing to choose between Mountain Ash and Rumney with the scores tied 12-12 at the whistle.
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