A WOUNDED Ebbw Vale return home to Eugene Cross Park tomorrow looking for a response to one of the club’s heaviest defeats in a generation.

The Steelmen host Carmarthen Quins on the back of a 78-12 National Cup hammering by Premiership leaders Cardiff in the Welsh capital last Friday.

Such a one-sided result wasn’t forecasted going into the second-round tie given that Ebbw had only lost 12-3 to the Blue and Blacks on the Arms Park’s artificial surface just a week earlier.

But the Gwent outfit were almost powerless to stop Steve Law’s men, who finished with 11 tries to the Steelmen’s two, back-rowers Lewis Young and Dawid Rubasniak touching down.

Ebbw must now try their best to put that horror show behind them and concentrate fully on the bread and butter of the league.

And judging by their start to the Premiership season, not having any other distractions could be very useful.

Just one win from six fixtures has left Ebbw 10th in the table, a single point off basement boys Llanelli and Bridgend, who have a game in hand.

Tomorrow’s visitors to Gwent are only three places and six points better off in seventh after three wins and two losses from five.

They beat Beddau 34-3 in the cup last time out, but both defeats in the Premiership have been away from home, to Pontypridd and Cardiff.

Ebbw and Carmarthen met three times last term, twice in the league and once in the cup, with the Steelmen winning on two occasions, although they were by a combined margin of three points.

While Ebbw are looking to climb the table, Newport have already taken their position in the upper echelons courtesy of three wins from six.

It’s quite rare these days to see a team nilled by an opponent, but that is exactly what the Black and Ambers did to Bridgend on Sunday.

Head coach Ty Morris saw his side ease to a 22-0 triumph at Rodney Parade, and it’s another fixture on home soil for Newport this Sunday.

Morris’ troops can expect a much tougher test when Pontypridd come to town intent on leapfrogging their hosts, who currently sit fourth behind Cardiff, Aberavon and Merthyr.

Pontypridd also sport a won three-lost three record and nearly all their matches have been decided by the odd score here or there.

Other than a 26-8 reverse against RGC, there has been an average of less than three points between them and their opponents in the remaining three successes and two defeats.

Elsewhere this weekend, defending champions Merthyr host Llandovery tonight, and Aberavon, Bridgend and RGC entertain Llanelli, Cardiff and Swansea respectively tomorrow.

Fixtures – Tonight: Merthyr v Llandovery; Tomorrow: Aberavon v Llanelli, Bridgend v Cardiff, Ebbw Vale v Carmarthen Quins, RGC v Swansea; Sunday: Newport v Pontypridd.