AFTER enjoying a first Swalec Championship win in eight months Newbridge need to make it a double when they welcome Tondu to the Welfare Ground this afternoon, writes Chris Kirwan.

‘Bridge showed plenty of spirit to emerge victorious from a tense encounter with Llanharan last weekend with a late penalty try and the right boot of fly-half Kieran Meek securing the spoils 29-22.

They remain at the bottom of the table but that will change if they can repeat the trick against fellow strugglers Tondu today.

Newbridge endured a sticky start to the season but losing bonus points against Merthyr and Pontypool, two top-half sides, showed they were on the right track and then they got over the line against 13th-placed Llanharan.

‘Bridge and Tondu met on the opening day of the season when the Waterwheelers enjoyed a crushing 62-0 victory at Pandy Park. They haven’t won since that September afternoon but are rarely hammered and their tally of five losing bonus points shows that ‘Bridge must be on their game.

Blackwood are nervously looking over their shoulder after hitting a sticky patch and travel north to play RGC 1404.

Matthew Veater’s side have slipped back towards the drop zone after five defeats on the spin, the latest a 46-5 hammering by Cardiff Met in Cyncoed.

Blackwood will be fuelled by the frustration of losing a tense battle with the north Walians at Glan-yr-Afon Park on opening day when they missed a late penalty that would have put them in the lead before RGC secured a 12-6 win at the death with an unconverted try.

Pontypool don’t have such worries at the bottom of the table thanks to a run of five wins from six that has seen them climb to third, the latest success against RGC 29-7.

Today they face a huge test when they host unbeaten leaders Bargoed, who look odds-on for the title with a 14-point advantage over second-placed Swansea.

Top spot may be out of Pooler’s reach but they could yet reel in the Whites, who are just six points ahead and still face a trip to the Park.

If Pooler are to stun their guests from the Rhymney Valley, who eased to a 40-3 win when the sides met on opening day, then they will need to match them up front with captain and hooker Ben Parry and flanker Rob Nash to the fore.

Swansea need Pooler to do them a favour but will also have to be on-song when they welcome Cardiff Met to St Helens.

Llanharan will attempt to avoid a Merthyr backlash at the Wern, Tata Steel host Glynneath and Narberth travel to Bridgend Athletic.