It took a try four minutes from time to ensure the Black & Ambers took anything away with them from a game that ebbed and flowed throughout to leave the home fans biting their fingernails in the final five minutes.
Until this year the Ravens had only had one win to shout about all season, against Ebbw Vale on 15 October, but now they have four and are now four points clear on Llaneli at the bottom of the table.
Paul Short kicked an early penalty before Chris Williams scampered away for the opening try. Short’s conversion made it 10-0 before a frenzied second quarter saw three tries.
Elliot Frewen crossed in the corner for the visitors in the 20th minute, Edd Howley went over five minutes later for the Ravens and then Lloyd Lewis cut the gap with a second Newport try to leave it 17-10 at the break.
Another Short penalty on 50 minutes was followed by a try from wing Mike Powell, which Luke Price crucially converted off the touchline to give the home side a 17 point lead. Newport needed a reaction and replied through their pack.
A penalty try at a scrum, which led to a yellow card for home prop Aled Evans, got Newport back in it and then Rhys Jenkins added a bonus-point score which Matt O’Brien converted to allow his side to leave with two points.
Scorers: Bridgend: Tries: C Williams, E Howley, M Powell; Cons: P Short 2, L Price; Pens: P Short 2. Newport: Tries: E Frewen, L Lewis, Pen Try, R Jenkins; Con: M O’Brien
LLANELLI 28 – 38 CARMARTHEN QUINS
Winning is becoming a happy habit for Marc Jones’ Quins side and a ‘double’ victory over their arch-rivals moved them off the bottom of the table.
The Quins backed up their excellent 34-33 victory last time out against Swansea with a 10 point triumph at Parc Y Scarlets as they inflicted a fifth straight league defeat on Llaneli to leave them bottom of the pile.
The Quins picked up a try bonus point within the first 40 minutes with some devastating attacking rugby. Torin Myhill won the foot race to touch down after a well weighted kick to score the games’ first try.
The Quins were then awarded a penalty try after forcing a string of penalties at scrum time and Sam O’Connor saw yellow for his part in the process.
The visitors finished the half in impressive fashion, scoring two late tries to secure a try bonus point. Ryan Davies and Dylan Richards were the grateful recipients of two well worked tries before half time.
Llanelli scored the first points of the second half through Joe Hutchings, but the Quins hit straight back with a swift counterattack which was finished off by Aaron Hemmings.
Late tries from Llew Phillips-Taylor, Rhys Harris and Iestyn Gwilliam secured a try bonus point for the hosts, although any sort of comeback was squashed with a try from Carmarthen’s Sion Jones.
Scorers: Llanelli: Tries: J Hutchings, L Phillips-Taylor, R Harris, I Gwilliam; Cons: J Phillips 4. Carm Quins: Tries: T Myhill, Pen Try, R Davies, D Richards, A Hemmings, S Jones; Cons: J Wilson 3.
SWANSEA 6 – 31 MERTHYR
Mighty Merthyr put Swansea to the sword for the second time this season with a comprehensive bonus point victory at St Helen’s.
The visitors got off to a fast start as their pack formed a rolling maul, which Tom Sloane brought down illegally, earning him a yellow card in the process. Josh Lewis chipped to the corner from the penalty and the visitors got quick ball out from the lineout for Teri Gee to beat two men to score in the corner.
Swansea then gave away a penalty, which Gareth Thompson chipped to the corner, and a routine catch and drive from the lineout saw No 8 Phil Rees crash over for a second score.
The Ironmen looked set for a third try following a charge down, with Ben Jones stretching his legs from deep, but an outstanding last gasp tackle by Kieran Charles saved the day.
Merthyr continued to pile on the pressure and wave after wave of forward phases put the Whites’ defence on the backfoot, allowing Morgan Sieniawski to cross for try No 3.
The bonus point try followed two minutes later when Gareth J Rees made a mess of collecting the ball near his own line, and Gee gratefully nipped in to snatch his second.
Ben Jones put a touch of gloss on his side’s victory by backing his speed to score a superb try in the corner that made it 66 points in two outings this season for Rowland Phillips’ side against the All Whites, who managed only two penalties.
Scorers: Swansea: Pens: J Davies 2. Merthyr: Tries: T Gee 2, P Rees, M Sieniawski, B Jones; Cons: G Thompson 3
LLANDOVERY 20 – 15 EBBW VALE
Llandovery’s 10th win in 12 matches moved them up into second place behind Cardiff with two games in hand.
The home side had the better of the early play, but it wasn’t until the 15th minute that full back Jack Maynard broke the deadlock with a penalty. The Steelmen responded in style when centre Ethan Phillips swept over out wide for a try that proved how dangerous they could be with the ball.
The Drovers regained the lead when Maynard cleverly slid through a kick for wing Aaron Warren to beat two defenders to the touchdown. That made it 8-5 at the break, with everything still to play for.
The contest then turned at the start of the second half when Llandovery hit Ebbw with two quick tries in two minutes. Lock Griff Evans charged down a relieving kick to score for the first, and then a flick pass by Warren allowed Maynard to send skipper Lee Rees haring over for a try that Maynard improved.
That broke some of the heart and spirit displayed by Jason Strange’s visitors, but they refuse to go down without a fight. To their credit, Ebbw refused to give in and scored 10 points late on.
Wing Morgan Richards ran 50 metres for a fine try which he quickly converted, and then replacement fly half Keiran Meek salvaged a losing bonus point with a last play of the match penalty from 30 metres.
Scorers: Llandovery: Tries: A Warren, G Evans, L Rees; Con: J Maynard; Pen: J Maynard; Ebbw Vale: Tries: E Phillips, M Richards; Con: M Richards; Pen: K Meek
