‘Captain Fantastic’ did it again with a magnificent drop goal after the clock had gone red to win a game that definitely looked as though it had been lost when the Indigo Premiership champions and leaders had gone back into the lead with a try by Joe Peard in the last minute.
But the never-say-die attitude of the Black & Ambers shone through, and they got into a position to allow O’Brien to take not just one shot at a drop goal but two. The first went the wrong side of the upright, but the second made it back-to-back wins at the home of their longest standing rivals.
Cardiff may still be 10-points clear at the top of the Indigo Premiership table, but the race for the other places in the top four to reach the play-offs is now really heating up. Next up on the Newport agenda is a home clash with third placed Llandovery, the only other side to beat Cardiff up until last weekend.
“When Matt’s first drop goal attempt went wide I thought our chance had gone and I was preparing in my mind what to say to them after a defeat. Then we got another go and he popped it over,” said Newport head coach Ty Morris.
“I was so proud of how we had played without that final drop goal, but that just made it all the sweeter. Matt does so much for the club both on and off the field and that score just added to his status as a real legend of the club.”
If Newport can take another four or five points from their home clash with the Drovers this weekend the gap to the top teams will get even closer. The push for the play-offs is well and truly on!
Try machine Dewi Cross made it 14 for the season for the home side as he crossed for Cardiff – his nearest rival in the race to be top try scorer is nine behind – to help them into a 10-point lead in the first-half. Harrison James added the conversion and then kicked a penalty and that’s how it stayed until the break.
After the break, replacement lock Alex Grey crossed for a Newport try converted by skipper O’Brien to cut the gap to three points and throw the contest back into the melting pot. O’Brien then slotted a penalty to level things up at 10-10.
With their tails up, Newport made great strides and wing Lloyd Lewis dived in at the corner for a second try to give his side the lead for the first time just before the hour mark. O’Brien couldn’t add the touchline conversion, and was then wide with a penalty shot before disaster struck with flanker Rhys Jenkins was yellow carded.
Matt O’Brien turns in jublication after slotting the matchwinner (Pic: Simon Latham)
As the clock reached 80 minutes, Cardiff made the most of their one–man advantage to work Wales U20 lock Peard over for a try that James improved to regain the lead at 17-15. It seemed all over for the visitors, but they simply refused to give up.
Cometh the hour, cometh O’Brien. He was wide with his first attempt at a drop goal, but that was just a sighter. When he got a second shot a few minutes deeper into injury time he nailed it to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Making it an even better weekend for Newport, Llandovery lost in the week without picking up any points and fourth placed Ebbw Vale suffered a similar fate in their 26-14 defeat in Colwyn Bay against RGC as their four match winning streak came to an abrupt end.
Only Llandovery had beaten the Blue & Blacks up to that point and, with the Drovers losing midweek to Merthyr, the race for the top four has opened up a bit. Newport are only five points off Ebbw Vale in fourth after the Steelmen’s loss at RGC and have a game in hand
Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: D Cross, J Peard; Cons: H James 2; Pen: H James. Newport: Tries: A Gray, L Lewis; Con: M O’Brien; Pen: M O’Brien; DG: M O’Brien
