Edinburgh Reivers 43 Ebbw Vale 25

Celebrity rugby fan Noel Gallagher was served an exciting game at Myreside with the lead changing hands four times before Reivers ran out good winners of their opening match in the Celtic League.

For the Reivers this was an encouraging start with Cardiff and Llanelli to come in their next two games.

Vale did more than stay with Reivers in the first half, but coach Mike Ruddock, who was looking for a good defensive performance, must have been shocked by the pair of tries leaked in as many minutes soon after the re-start which decided the game.

Reivers were worth their 12-0 lead after 20 minutes, which was then eaten into by a penalty from Jason Strange.

Revival

It began the Steelmen's revival, which continued when left wing Andrew Wagstaff intercepted and ran in for a 26th-minute try.

Three minutes later the visitors were 17-12 ahead.

Centre Stephen John almost got over on the right and the recycled ball was cross-kicked by Strange to Wagstaff who scored again, for Strange to kick his second conversion.

Reivers seemed to have got their noses in front at the interval when David Officer scored and Hodge converted in injury time, but there was time for Vale to go into half time leading 20-19 thanks to a penalty from Strange.

The Reivers' decisive tries in two minutes put them well ahead.

In 53 minutes they at last did hold a move together and it ended with Craig Joiner scoring and Hodge kicking a good conversion.

The Steelmen were not knocked from their stride for too long and came back when Wagstaff grabbed his hat-trick.

However, they were forced to replace stand-off Strange with Shaun Connor who missed the conversion and two penalties.

With five minutes remaining, Reivers made sure by scoring their sixth try when Hodge scented a gap, went for it, and sent in captain Graham Shiel before converting.

Scorers - Edinburgh ReiversTries: Murray, Shiel, Officer, Joiner, Hodge, Dall. Cons: Hodge 5. Pens: Hodge. Ebbw Vale Tries: Wagstaff 3. Cons: Strange 2. Pens: Strange 2. Att: 2,000 Edinburgh
Lee, Murray, Shiel, Officer, Joiner, Hodge, Burns, Jacobsen, Scott, Stewart, Metcalfe, Fullarton, M Leslie, Taylor, Dall.

Ebbw Vale
J Williams, R Shorney, S John, J Hawker, A Wagstaff, J Strange, R Smith, A Phillips, L Phillips, A Metcalfe, G Llewellyn, D Jones, G Green, T Morris, M Jones (capt).
Replacements (from): A Peacock, D Penisini, C Billen, N Edwards, L Banks, S Connor, G Betts, R Potter, C Landry