Ponty strove hard to pick up the pace of the game early on, driving at their opponents and launching a series of penalty kicks to touch and line-out drives. Pressure was turned into points as hooker Huw Dowden was shunted over the line to claim a try which was converted by Simon Humberstone.
A brief foray by Newport into the home half went unrewarded as fly half Geraint O’Driscoll missed the target with a 30 metre penalty attempt, with Ponty eager to open up the game and strike back.
Ponty continued to advance, mauling strongly and hitting the midfield gain line to good effect. A big scrum put further pressure on a besieged Newport defence, who were punished as prop Alex Jeffries was yellow carded.
A charge to the line by hooker Huw Dowden was held up but the Ponty pack then scrummaging well for No8 Dan Godfrey to pounce for a try scored with 28 minutes gone. The game was by now struggling to maintain its earlier momentum with the referee’s whistle prominent, but Ponty still getting the better of some scrappy phases of play.
The home marauders seized on a loose ball from a line-out throw to spread the ball wide, centre Dafydd Lockyer bursting through to score a try which Humberstone converted, taking Ponty into the interval leading by 19-0.
A competitive start to the second period saw Newport claiming a greater share of possession and applying pressure in the home half. The flow of play was yet again slowed down by the referee’s whistle as Ponty sat back defending in their twenty-two. The home team then responded with a length of the field counter, winger Lewis Williams rounding off with an opportunist score in the corner.
Prop James Howe again led the line to maintain Ponty’s momentum, instigating a phase of pressure that reached the visitors’ line but without a score. The game moved into its final quarter, blighted by errors and rarely hitting top gear.
Ponty put in the big hits then wrestled possession to counter, scrum half Lloyd Williams scrambling over for a try, with Humberstone’s conversion rebounding off the post.
A kick and chase foray by full back Dale Stuckey kept Ponty in forward gear before winger Chris Clayton broke clear only to be stopped short by a high tackle. A penalty try was awarded, with Newport wing Barney Nightingale sin binned for the offence and Humberstone kicking the conversion.
