EBBW Vale head coach Jason Strange has revealed his squad of players will not become complacent – despite a return to the top of the Championship table with a 10-3 victory at previous-leaders Bargoed.

Elsewhere, there were narrow away defeats for both Newbridge and Pontypool while Blackwood’s match at bottom-placed Whitland was postponed because of an unfit playing surface.

Ebbw Vale arrived at Bargoed Park in second place behind the hosts having recovered from a recent shock defeat at the hands of Whitland by blasting out Beddau 36-0 while Bargoed began on the back of a 28-28 draw at Margam-based Tata Steel.

That result ended Bargoed’s 100 per cent record, but they would still have started as slight favourites to edge the first v second clash Running rugby was out of the question in very heavy conditions and matters were heading towards parity at 3-3 – Josh Prosser having put Bargoed ahead with a penalty before the break and centre Josh Lewis drawing Ebbw Vale level with a huge place kick after the interval.

But as Bargoed tried to open it up, Ebbw Vale right winger Wes Cunliffe managed to intercept a wayward pass some 15 minutes from time to sprint clear and touch down for a try, which Lewis added the conversion to.

It was the Steelmen’s 50th try of the season in only their tenth outing, the second successive game in which they prevented opponents from scoring a try – and they now hold a single-point lead over Bargoed.

“This was a very pleasing result from a game played out in difficult conditions,” remarked Strange, who also confirmed the club are continuing to interview applicants for the club’s vacant role of forwards’ coach.

“Sure, it’s always satisfying to return to the top of the table. But we certainly won’t be tapping ourselves on the back just because we won at the ground of the then-leaders.

“There is one hell of a long way to go and what we must do now is the same as we always do and that’s to remain focussed on the next task ahead.

“We have a week off now because of the Wales international and we have already put our thoughts to our next game, which is at home against Bridgend Athletic a week on Saturday.”

Strange continued his appraisal of his team’s display at Bargoed: “If we did anything wrong it was not being clinical enough.

“We managed to create a number of opportunities, but failed to take it one step further and we will work on this aspect.

“On the plus side, we are pleased that we showed we can adapt to these sort of conditions and that our game is not all about running rugby.

“Sure we like to play that kind of game, but a team has to often adapt to all kinds of scenarios and we did that very well in this game.”

Newbridge visited Beddau with the knowledge that a victory would elevate them above the losers of the Bargoed v Ebbw Vale clash.

However they had only a losing bonus point for comfort after going down 9-7. They took the lead with a penalty try, which outside half Neil Bennett converted before falling to a trio of penalties by Tom Benjamin.

It was only Newbridge’s second defeat in ten league games, the other was against Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park, and they remain in third position behind the Steelmen and Bargoed.

A Pontypool win at Bonymaen could have taken them up four places, but an 11-3 loss means they stay one from the bottom with only Whitland below them. Clayton Gullis scored their only points.