Veteran Wales and Lions centre Allan Bateman made a guest appearance for injury-hit Ebbw Vale in their final Welsh-Scottish League match of the season.

Vale did not need a great deal of help - scoring no fewer than nine tries against basement club Caerphilly.

Nevertheless, Neath man Bateman - playing on permit - still got the biggest cheer of the night when he stormed over for try number eight in the 70th minute.

Vale's other tries came from scrum-half Kevin Ellis (2) right wing Aaron Takarangi (2), flanker Kati Tuipolotu, full-back Gareth Cull, lock Ockert Booyse and replacement three-quarter Martin Ridley.

As expected, Caerphilly fought hard while half-backs Luke Richards and Alan Chiltern looked smart operators.

Wing Ken Morris and lock Mark Workman crossed for tries while Richards converted both and kicked two penalties.

In a hectic start both teams showed they could rattle up the points with passing movements.

Tuipolotu and full-back Cull zipped over for early home tries with Cull converting both to top 200 league points for the season.

Back came Caerphilly with a fine 15th-minute touchdown from Morris. Richards, who had just landed a 36-metre angled penalty, added the conversion to cut Vale's lead to 14-10.

Cull and Richards then exchanged further penalties before Vale ended the half in style with further tries from Ellis and Takarangi. Cull converted both to make the interval score 31-13.

The Steelmen dominated the second half with Booyse, Ellis, Takarangi, Bateman and Ridley scooping up tries.

Cull converted four and James one.

Caerphilly's only reward in what was a difficult second period for them was Mark Workman's 54th minute try, converted by Richards.

Ebbw Vale: G Cull; A Takarangi, A Bateman, P Matthews, D Rogers; M James, K Ellis; I Thomas (capt), J Evans, M Jones, O Booyse, N Edwards, K Tuipulotu, W Thomas, T Morris.
Reps: D Penisini, C Bevan, D Hudd, G Evans, A Wagstaff, A N Other.

Caerphilly: Taufahema; Morris, Lewis, Hawkins, Calderley; Hooper, Richards; Chiltern, Bolton, Gereaghty, Workman, N Watkins, D Davies, G Jones, Williams.
Reps: S Thomas, M Davies, N Jones, Marston, Hill, Colclough, A Jones.

Referee: David R Davies (Llanbrathach)