The Blue and Blacks bowed out of the WRU Premiership cup after defeat to a robust Ebbw Vale side at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium.
There was a late change to the starting 15 for Cardiff, as Arwel Robson dropped out and Harrison James moved from fullback to flyhalf. Jacob Lloyd come off the bench to start at fullback, with young Kodie Stone coming onto the bench.
Evan Lloyd got the quarter-final underway. An early chance fell to The Steelmen as Joe Goodchild’s kick was charged down, and Jacob Lloyd was forced to take it over the Cardiff line for a goal-line dropout.
After early pressure on the Blue and Blacks defence from 5 metres out, referee Rhys Jones awarded The Steelmen a penalty just after the seven-minute mark. Evan Lloyd broke the deadlock with a simple penalty kick.
Ebbw Vale didn’t back off, as the pressure was straight back on the Blue and Blacks after a mammoth scrum from the hosts. This resulted in another penalty, which Evan Lloyd got and built up the scoreboard.
It got worse for Cardiff as Jacob Lloyd passed the ball forward, which resulted in another scrum for The Steelmen 5 metres out from The Blue and Black’s line. It was another brilliant drive at the scrum from the hosts as referee Rhys Jones awarded a penalty try. This extended the lead to thirteen.
With it seemingly being all Ebbw Vale, at the 30-minute mark, Harrison James converted a penalty to narrow the gap on the scoreboard.
Just before halftime, The Steelmen went looking for their second try as they were metres away from Cardiff’s line. Evan Lloyd switched the direction of attack, and wing Ethan Phillips powered his way through Cardiff’s defence to score.
HT: Ebbw Vale 20-3 Cardiff
After not having much to smile about in the first half, the Blue and Blacks started the second half much more potently.
Referee Rhys Jones awarded a penalty to Cardiff, and Jacob Lloyd kicked to the corner. Following the successful take of the ball at the lineout, Alun Rees was the man to cross for the visitors first try of the afternoon. This try also meant that Alun Rees has now scored 100 points in a Blue and Black shirt.
Cardiff were playing a lot more positively and freely throughout the second half. Subsequently, another driving maul followed a little while later, and unsurprisingly it was Alun Rees that was at the bottom of the pile for Cardiff’s second with momentum appearing to change on the 65-minute mark.
The hosts were quieter in the final quarter as it was all Cardiff. On the 70-minute mark, scrum-half Jon Evans chipped over the top of Cardiff’s defence and former Cardiff age-grade player Amir Jiwa-Walji pounced on a loose ball and sprinted towards Cardiff’s line to score the host’s third.