Newport skipper Ben Roach hopes a little bit of ‘X factor’ will help Newport make it third time lucky and win the club its first league title since 2004.
“Obviously everyone’s tough in this league but I think we back ourselves in the way we’re playing at the moment,” said Roach.
“We’re fronting up as forwards and getting across that gain line, but we’ve got some X factor in the backs as well.
“We’ve got the belief as Newport that we can get to that top level. We’ve been close the last two years and it would be the next step for us. It would also be massive leading into our 150th anniversary next season as well.”
Henry Palmer’s hat-trick inspired Newport at a rain-lashed Merthyr, with the hooker crashing over twice in the first half and then again just after the re-start.
Inside centre Chay Foster-Smith secured Newport a bonus point with try number four on the hour, with outside centre Jon Morris rounding off a five-star performance with another try in the closing stages.
Outside half Matt O’Brien added the extras to three of the five tries.
Hooker Liam Wiggins and lock Callum Bradbury crashed over either side of the break for Merthyr. Outside half Josh Lewis improved the latter’s try, having kicked a penalty in the first half.
Newport head coach Ty Morris was pleased to see his side continue their winning run.
“We go into games obviously aiming to win. I think the way we play, we’re attack minded, we’re always going to try and score as many points as we can. But even in conditions like this, scoring three more tries – we’re showing teams that we can win in different ways.
“We’ve had that ever since I’ve been there; it’s in our DNA to play that brand of rugby.”
Scorers: Merthyr: Tries: L Wiggins, C Bradbury; Con: J Lewis; Pen: J Lewis. Newport: Tries: H Palmer 3, C Foster-Smith, J Morris; Cons: M O’Brien 3
