NEWPORT are yet to get off the mark in the Principality Premiership after being overpowered 34-12 by champions Pontypridd at Rodney Parade.

The Black and Ambers showed more spirit than they did when beaten 44-10 at Carmarthen Quins on opening weekend but had nothing to show for their efforts at the final whistle.

They briefly made the champions sweat when they fought back to 17-12 in the second half but in the end the usual suspects of number eight Dan Godfrey, openside Wayne O’Connor and centre Dafydd Lockyer guided Ponty to a bonus point win.

Newport had beaten Ponty in the last three encounters at Rodney Parade but they were chasing the game from the fifth minute when fly-half Simon Humberstone flew through a gaping hole in midfield and gave scrum-half Lloyd Williams a run-in for 7-0.

The hosts, with wing Jon Morris putting himself about, rallied well and enjoyed plenty of territory only to be hindered by little mistakes.

Newport deservedly chipped away at the lead through the left boot of prolific full-back Geraint O’Driscoll approaching the half hour but it didn’t take Humberstone long to regain the seven-point advantage.

And Ponty were rewarded for going the corner with a penalty just before the break when a powerful drive ended with the ever-impressive number eight Dan Godfrey powering over.

Humberstone’s conversion made it 17-3 at half-time and it looked a long way back for the Black and Ambers.

But O’Driscoll struck the first points of the second half and then produced some lovely footwork inside his 22 to spark a counter-attack that ended with visiting wing Lewis I Williams just winning the race with opposite number Owen Broad to Jamie Murphy’s kick through.

Home fly-half Matt O’Brien made it 17-9 with a sweetly-struck penalty on the hour and then 17-12 with an even sweeter drop goal.

But Humberstone eased Pontypridd nerves – and nudged the hosts back out of bonus point territory – when he slotted a simple three-pointer after scrambling Newport defence had prevented a third try with 15 minutes left.

The visitors secured the spoils when Godfrey guided another lineout drive over the line and ensured a five-point haul when replacement back row forward Owen Sheppeard powered over from close range in the closing stages.

Newport scorers: penalties – G O’Driscoll (2), M O’Brien; drop goal – M O’Brien

Pontypridd scorers: tries – L Williams, D Godfrey (2), O Sheppeard; conversions – S Humberstone (4); penalties – S Humberstone