NEWPORT have had a change of head coach but they didn't enjoy a change of luck against old rivals Cardiff.

The Black and Ambers remain cut adrift at the bottom of the Principality Premiership after being edged out by the Blue and Blacks 23-16 at Rodney Parade.

Newport are the league's cellar dwellers while Cardiff are right in the mix for the playoffs but there wasn't much between the sides in 80 fiercely-contested minutes.

But it was a game that summed up the Black and Ambers' season – they were disrupted by yet another serious injury (with fly-half Codey Rees stretchered off with a fractured right fibula) and hindered by a high error count.

There was no shortage of spirit but they look like a team lacking in confidence, missing opportunities to strike by being too lateral in attack and suffering through being inaccurate in key moments.

Newport went in front 16-15 with five minutes left only for one aimless kick to enable Cardiff full-back Dan Fish to put in a booming touchfinder to the hosts' 22 that was followed by an overthrown lineout and then the winning score by former Black and Ambers centre Will Rees-Hole.

"Everything we asked for in the week they did in bucketloads but we are an easy team to play at the minute in terms of our error count," said Craig Warlow, acting as head coach after the midweek departure of Sven Cronk.

"That is because of where we are at in the league, our lack of victories and that breeds the opposite of confidence.

"But there is a lot to build on and I am looking for a huge two-week training block (leading into a crunch game with fellow strugglers Neath). The next eight weeks won't be comfortable but hopefully it will be enjoyable and the hard work starts now."

It appeared likely to be a mismatch between two teams at opposite ends of the table in the opening stages.

Newport barely touched the ball before Cardiff wing Ellis Wn Benham's fourth-minute try in the left corner after phase after phase by the visitors, who had clearly watched the Arms Park's premier side in action against Connacht the previous evening.

But the Black and Ambers showed resolve to go into the break 11-5 to the good thanks to well-struck penalties by Geraint O'Driscoll, who moved from 15 to 10 after Rees' injury, and a nicely-crafted score for Wales Under-20s centre Barney Nightingale, who just about maintained his balance to go over down the left after his forwards had hammered away at the line.

But Newport were bossed in the third quarter of the game, sorely missing their captain Ollie Griffiths who is understandably being wrapped in cotton wool by Wales Under-20s after starring in three rounds of the Six Nations.

The openside's energy and judgement about when to go in for the jackal could have helped stem the tide but instead the Blue and Blacks moved into a 15-11 lead thanks to fly-half Dean Gunter's penalty and conversion of Benham's second, a rather more fortunate score after Dan Fish's wobbling pass had tempted Luke Morgan off his wing.

However, Newport rallied and were back in front when, with referee Richard Brace playing penalty advantage, flanker Adam Frampton pounced on the loose ball over the line after a series of scrums on the Cardiff line.

Perhaps it should have been a penalty try and 18-15 instead of 16-15 but the Black and Ambers were in front with just five minutes left.

However, Rees-Hole crossed to dash home hopes and full-back Dan Fish put the cherry on top with a super drop goal.

Newport's bonus point consolation closes the gap on Bridgend and Neath but they simply have to change the record when they travel to the Gnoll a week on Friday. A fourth league win of the season is essential.

Newport: G O'Driscoll, L Morgan, B Nightingale (N Edwards 79), D Franchi, E Frewen, C Rees (L ap Myrddin 13), O Davies, J Greenfield (D Pattison 53), Andrew Brown (E Whitson 79), A Jeffries, Adam Brown (captain), D Partridge, A Frampton, R Jenkins, S Feehan.

Scorers: tries – B Nightingale, A Frampton; penalties – G O'Driscoll (2)

Cardiff: D Fish, E W Benham, W Rees-Hole, J Phillips, C Young (T Williams 62), D Gunter, M Hale (T Slater 53), L Smout (B Douglas 62), M Breeze, J Jones (J Tomlinson 77), M Normandale (B Roach 79), J Goode, C Lodge, J Edwards (captain), N White (J Murphy 65).

Scorers: tries – E W Benham (2), W Rees-Hole; conversion – D Gunter; penalty – D Gunter; drop goal – D Fish

Referee: Richard Brace (WRU)

Argus star man: Adam Frampton