NEWPORT produced a strong display to overcome fierce rivals Cardiff at Rodney Parade, sending their supporters home happy with an impressive 17-8 victory in Tier two of the Principality Premiership, writes Joe Langstaffe.

Both sides struggled to make an impact in the early stages on a difficult surface and the game descended into a scrappy affair, Jarrod Evans’ penalty to put Cardiff in front being all there was to show in the opening 20 minutes.

But Newport began to settle and took the lead midway through the first half. Excellent work from the forwards allowed Garin Harris to cross over in the maul following a lineout in Cardiff’s 22 and Geraint O’Driscoll added the extras to put Newport the hosts 7-3 up.

That was how it stayed until the brink of half-time, as Newport continued to give Cardiff problems with their stronger physicality and whilst the Blue and Blacks looked fluent with ball in hand, they never really threatened to add to the score-line. A last-minute O’Driscoll penalty extended Newport’s lead to 10-3.

The Black and Ambers continued to play to their strengths in the second half, their forwards looking strong at the breakdown to supplement a consistent kicking game.

Cardiff did improve and started to put some pressure on the Newport defence, but Gavin Nash’s yellow card on 54 minutes stopped their momentum in its tracks.

In an uneventful second half with few opportunities for either side, O’Driscoll had a chance to increase Newport’s lead on 67 minutes, but hooked his penalty wide from distance. The Black and Ambers held firm however and sealed the tie on 77 minutes, the impressive Rhys Jenkins crossing between the posts to give O’Driscoll a straightforward kick to make it 17-3.

Cardiff got some just reward for their efforts however and scored a late consolation try through Will Rees-Hole after pressure down the right wing, but Evans was unable to convert, leaving the final score at 17-8 to Newport- but it was too little too late even for a losing bonus point.

Newport: L A Myrddin, J Morris, T Pascoe, C Smith (T Riley 55) (H Palmer 67), E Frewen, G O’Driscoll, R James; J Greenfield, H Palmer, G Harris, A Brown, A Mann, R Jones, N Hudd, R Jenkins

Tries: G Harris , R Jenkins Cons: G.O’Driscoll (2) Pens: O’Driscoll

Cardiff: G Thompson, J Beal, H Millard, W Rees-Hole, C Young (R Lewis 60), J Evans, P Cowley (L Free 67); G Nash, J Tomlinson ©, A Rees (B Leung 71), J Davies, J Murphy, J Sheekey, J Viggers, B Thomas

Tries: W Rees-Hole Cons: Pens: J. Evans.

Referee: Adam Jones Star man : Geraint O'Driscoll (Newport)