The Wizards came hard in the second half through their front five and edged ahead by a single point, 21-20, in the 65th minute with a penalty try. Newport also lost Dan Suter to a yellow card at the same time.
But they hit back immediately with a classic try from inspirational skipper Matt O’Brien and then dug deep to hang on for the win.
“We made it hard for ourselves by losing a line-out in the last 10 seconds when all we had to do was take it and kick it out. I’m just happy to have come out on the right side of what was a quality cup tie,” said O’Brien.
After Aled Thomas and Will Reed had swapped penalties, Matt O’Brien conjured up an inch-perfect cross field pass on the Wizards’ 10 metre line that gave his right wing Johnny Morris the chance to display his speed and finishing skills to bag a dramatic opening try in the right corner.
Aberavon tried to use their powerful scrum to grind down their opponents, but the Black & Amber pack gritted their teeth and stood up to the challenge. Reed added three more penalties to another by Thomas to give Newport a handy 17-6 interval lead.
Thomas’ third penalty at the start of the second half cut the gap and then Ieuan Davies converted a driving line-out maul. Reed’s fifth penalty restored a six point cushion, but it didn’t last long.
A penalty try after two power scrums earned the Wizards the lead and saw Newport reduced to 14 men with Dan Suter shown a yellow card.
The response from Newport was immediate and superb. Reed conjured an opening for man of the match David Richards to race into the Wizards’ 22 and send O’Brien sidestepping his way over for a try that regained the lead.
Scorers: Newport: Tries: J Morris, M O’Brien; Pens: W Reed5. Aberavon: Tries: I Davies, pen try; Pens: A Thomas 3
Aberavon: Jonathan Phillips; Chris Banfield, Joe Thomas, Will Price, Stef Andrews; Aled Thomas, Rhodri Cole; Rowan Jenkins, Ieuan Davies, Geraint James, Shay Smallman, Sam Williams, Ashton Evans, Andrew Waite, Joe Tomalin-Reeves (capt)
Reps: Iwan Temblett, Dan Edwards, Joe Gage, Lloyd Evans, Luke Davies, Rhodri Hughes, Rhys Fawcett, Chris Davies
Newport: David Richards; Jon Morris, Cameron Lewis, Matt O’Brien (captain), Elliot Frewen; Will Reed, Luke Crane; Louis Jones, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, George Young, Josh Skinner, Rhys Jenkins, Lennon Greggains, Ben Roach
Reps: Jamie Jeune, Lewis Smout, Dan Suter, Andrew Mann, Josh Reid, Che Hope, Will Talbot-Davies, Dafydd Smith
