A PAIR of Dragons will make their Newport debuts in their crunch Principality Premiership clash against bottom club Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground tomorrow afternoon.

Fly-half Angus O’Brien, who usually plies his trade with Cross Keys, and lock Matthew Screech, normally assigned to Bedwas, will line up for the Black and Ambers for the first time.

The move hasn’t exactly been greeted with open arms at Pandy Park or Bridge Field as they were allocated the players at the start of the season but they have been assured by regional bosses that it is a one-off.

Jamie Murphy, primarily a centre/full-back, has played at fly-half for the past two weeks and was sent off against Llandovery.

So O’Brien, who is from Caerleon, follows in the footsteps of older brother Matt, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, in pulling on the Newport number 10 jersey.

It comes hot on the heels of Cross Keys’ British and Irish Cup campaign being used to give game time to Dragons players.

That meant that Newport were without openside and captain Ollie Griffiths, wing Ashton Hewitt, centre Barney Nightingale and tighthead Alex Jeffries in their rearranged game against league games against Cardiff and Ebbw Vale because they were on BIC duty.

The Black and Ambers will be grateful for the services of the pair for a huge game at the bottom of the table with both sides attempting to avoid the ignominy of propping up the Premiership.

Bargoed’s impressive form in the Swalec Championship is likely to mean there is no relegation – they don’t have the criteria required for promotion – but nobody wants to be saved from the drop by another team’s exploits.

Newport climbed off the bottom of the table with a losing bonus point at Cross Keys last weekend, although their spirited display in testing conditions could have earned a victory.

They ended the game on top but could not force their way over the line but were left to rue a number of near misses in a 14-9 defeat.

Newport have lost their last three games against Aberavon and will aim to end that streak ahead of next weekend’s Swalec Cup clash at Rodney Parade.