EBBW Vale produced a big performance to nearly topple title hopefuls Carmarthen Quins on their own patch last weekend but acknowledge they need to up their game even more for tonight's visit of the champions.

Pontypridd head to Eugene Cross Park for what promises to be a humdinger in front of a bumper Principality Premiership crowd.

The Steelmen have made a super start to life back in the top flight while Ponty have been the standard bearers for the semi-professional game since 2011.

The men from Sardis Road have won all six league games this term and third-placed Ebbw would make a huge statement in terms of their own playoff challenge if they were to condemn them to a first defeat.

"This exactly the sort of challenge that we want – we worked so hard to get back into the Premiership for nights like this," said head coach Jason Strange. "It should be a great contest between two good sides in front of a big crowd.

"We played a superb team in Carmarthen Quins last week. We lost 26-24 and were very disappointed not to be heading home with a bonus point win after we felt there should have been a penalty try at the end when there were a number of scrums on their line.

"There were plenty of positives and it was a good performance but we need to be even better tonight.

"I was fortunate to watch their game against my old side Bristol in the British and Irish Cup and Ponty are a side that benefit from having been together a while and they don't have any real weaknesses.

"But we just need to concentrate on executing our own game and playing to the best of our ability, if we do that then there's every chance we can win."

The Steelmen must once again cope without talisman captain Damien Hudd with the lock set to be sidelined for another two weeks with the shoulder injury he sustained against Aberavon a fortnight ago.

There is still a tinge of regret at Eugene Cross Park over one that got away against Ponty, who stole the spoils thanks to Dai Flanagan's last-gasp conversion on their last visit to north Gwent for a Swalec Cup quarter-final in 2013.