NEWPORT were the victims of Merthyr flexing their Principality Premiership muscles after the Ironmen romped to a 50-26 victory at Rodney Parade.

The Black and Ambers had hoped Sunday’s 17-13 victory at Llanelli would prove to be a turning point in their bid for the top half when the January split happens.

Instead they are one win from five with a daunting trip to Pontypridd next up a week on Saturday.

The Ironmen reinforced their fine start to life in the top flight and the Championship champions are sure to be in the mix for more silverware come May.

They have lost just once this season – at home to Bedwas – and the Black and Ambers found their combination of solid defence, offloading and deadly nature when attacking in the 22 too hot to handle.

There was much to admire about Newport’s approach in an entertaining and at times wonderfully frantic game yet they paid the price for missing their chances in the first half, although a purple patch when the game was gone did earn a four-try bonus.

Things looked ominous when Merthyr broke down the left flank after just 20 seconds only for the final pass to elude former Bedwas centre Arron (CORR) Pinches, who is back in Wales after a season with Moseley.

However, the resulting lineout was stolen and the visitors worked for a penalty that ex-Osprey Matthew Jarvis banged between the posts for 3-0.

Newport were denied a swift leveller when Matt O’Brien slammed a tough penalty against the right post but the fly-half’s left peg worked wonderfully in the eighth minute when his grubber through was gratefully grabbed by try machine Elliot Frewen on the wing to make it 5-3.

The Black and Ambers were looking dangerous when playing at high tempo yet their daring approach could, nay should, have seen them go behind when lock Brendan Lampitt’s pass was picked off by Merthyr’s Matthew Trowbridge inside his own half only for the wing to bizarrely cut back in to get snared by the last man when he had a clear run to the corner.

The reprieve was short-lived and the Ironmen were 10-5 after 16 minutes thanks to a close-range effort by flanker Osian Davies.

Newport played more enterprising rugby in the first quarter than they did in the entire 80 of their previous home encounter with Bedwas yet were hindered by a faltering lineout.

And a steal by Merthyr proved to be costly on the half hour when an attack, with one prominent charge by the impressive Pinches, ended with number eight Tom Daley putting wing Kyle Evans under the sticks.

Jarvis’ extras made it 17-5 and the hosts needed to strike next, although that was easier said than done against the hard-hitting and tenacious Merthyr defence.

After spending 10 minutes knocking on the door it was the visitors who impressively had the final say of the half when they counter-rucked to turn the ball over before going the length of the field with scrum-half Rhys Downes’ cross-kick putting Evans over for his second.

Newport had shown some nice touches yet turned around for the second half with a daunting 24-5 deficit.

And it was clear that it would be a five-point haul for the Ironmen when flanker Ed Siggery barged over after 45 minutes following yet another super Pinches break.

At 31-5 Newport could ill afford to let heads drop but the tries kept coming with Downes – formerly of Newport, Bedwas and Ebbw and, for one game only, a Dragon – finishing off after a Trowbridge burst down the left.

There was still half an hour left and one feared for Newport when Frewen was yellow-carded yet instead they rallied with tries by replacement prop Chris Coleman and a sumptuous effort by utility back Llywarch Ap Myrddin to make it 36-19 with quarter of an hour left.

That stirred into former Scarlets wing Evans completing his hat-trick with a wonderful jinking run before Geraint O’Driscoll earned a consolation for the Black and Ambers.

However, Merthyr deservedly had the final say with flanker Davies scoring their seventh try and Jarvis’ conversion bringing up their half-century.

Newport scorers: tries – E Frewen, C Coleman, L Ap Myrddin, G O’Driscoll; conversions – A Robson (3)

Merthyr scorers: tries – O Davies (2), K Evans (3), E Siggery, R Downes; conversions – M Jarvis (6); penalty – M Jarvis