Third placed Merthyr also have an away day, although their trip to Parc y Scarlets will be to face the bottom of the table club Llanelli. Earlier in the week their players were told the club will not be participating in the Premiership next season when it goes up to 14 teams.
The other club in the top four, Aberavon, will be at home to RGC for a game they need to win to stay ahead of the Gwent duo, Ebbw Vale and Newport, in the race for the final play-off place.
Newport are back in the hunt for a top four finish in the Indigo Premiership, and a potential league and cup double, after running in five tries in a 34-7 win at Pontypridd.
Matt O’Brien’s side went behind in the fourth minute, but then hit back to dominate proceedings and set-up a mad month of fixtures in April. As well as six games to fit in to finish their league programme, they also have to play Cardiff in the WRU Premiership Cup final.
“The games are coming thick and fast and we are looking forward to all of them. We are in the hunt for the double,” said Newport skipper Matt O’Brien.
“We opted to play into the wind and rain in the first half at Sardis Road and we struggled to get out of our 22. It was very easy for me on the night because I had two great centres outside me and a great pack in front of me. The game was probably won after 50 minutes and then we just had to see it out.”
O’Brien’s side are next in action on Tuesday, when they host top of the table Llandovery, and four days later they welcome third placed Merthyr. They have Bridgend at home on 12 April and then head to Llanelli three days later.
The cup final at Principality Stadium against Cardiff is on Sunday, 23 April. They welcome Llanelli on 29 April and still have to fit in a home game against Carmarthen Quins.
After conceding a fourth minute try, Newport ensured they picked up the bonus-point by the break as Kyle Taylor, Garin Harris, Lloyd Lewis and Chay Smith all bagged tries to make it 27-7 at half-time. The only score of the second half was an abrasive effort from Newport No 8 Lenny Greggains.
The win took the Black & Ambers up to within four points of Ebbw Vale in fifth, with a game in hand, and within six points of fourth placed Aberavon, with two games in hand. The Steelmen will be hoping to respond when they head to Carmarthen Quins this weekend.
Rhys Francis leads a strong side which will be hoping to close the gap on Aberavon and climb back into the play off places. They also have a hectic finish to the season with five games this month.
They include three fixtures against teams above them in the table. The key game could well be the game against Aberavon at Eugene Cross Park on 22 April.
