In ideal playing conditions, the Black & Ambers took the game to the Wizards and thoroughly deserved their 30-20 victory to move away from the bottom of the point table.
Newport opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Matt O’Brien put in a deft chip and fellow centre Cameron Lewis picked up the bouncing ball and powered over. Reed rifled over the conversion to give the home fans something to shout about.
Aled Thomas pegged back three points with a close range penalty before the Wizards camped near the Newport corner flag. The pack went close on one occasion and lost the ball over the line on another as the hosts defence stood firm.
Newport turned the screw in the 28th minute with a well worked try. Ryan Woodman took the ball from the top of a lineout and his forward pack muscled their way over the tryline with Kyle Taylor being awarded the try. Reed added the extras.
Aberavon hit back just before the break through Ashton Evans with Thomas knocking over the conversion. However the fly half failed to see out the first half as he was sent to the sin bin after upending Elliot Frewen.
With Thomas still in the bin, Newport worked No 8 Ben Roach over in the corner six minutes into the second half to increase their lead. With Reed adding the conversion and a penalty soon after, Newport had a comfortable 27-10 lead.
Aberavon kept plugging away and scored tries through Evans and Stef Andrews but it wasn’t enough as the Wizards were prevented from scoring their first bonus point of the season.
“The win was very pleasing for us, particularly as a couple of players were achieving milestones,” said Newport head coach Ty Morris. “Elliott Frew played his 200th game while Kyle Taylor was making his 100th and I’m really proud of the way the boys rose to the challenge against Aberavon.
“Even they didn’t have the belief that we could go and get in the top four, they can certainly doit now. We’re not a bottom of the league team on the table, we know that and we delivered a performance today to show that.”
