IT was a case of third time lucky as Newport exacted sweet revenge over their fiercest rivals Cardiff with a bonus-point victory, writes Iwan Gabe Davies.

The Blue and Blacks had already done the double over the Rodney Parade team in the league this season, but a fine performance by the Black and Ambers saw them win this latest Premiership clash.

They thoroughly deserved the spoils and outscored the visitors by four tries to two.

The hosts got off to a promising start and went ahead after three minutes when their fly-half and skipper Matt O’Brien slotted a straight forward penalty.

The capital city side began to get the upper hand as the first quarter progressed and turned pressure into points when former Black and Ambers centre Will Rees-Hole crossed under the posts for a converted try in the 20th minute.

Newport got themselves into highly promising positions more than once, but a lack of accuracy and application at scrum, lineout and breakdown cost them dearly as they kept coughing up possession.

But Cardiff shot themselves in the foot to take a suicidal quick lineout in their own 22 which was turned over, O’Brien’s crosskick finding wing Adam Sabri who finished well for a converted try after half an hour to make it 10-7 to Newport.

It was the spur the home side needed as they began to dominate the closing stages of the first half, scrum-half Ryan James crashing over for his side’s second converted try.

All their hard work was undone, however, when visiting scrum-half Geraint Watkin’s fine break from the back of a scrum saw No 8 Sion Bennett crash over for a try, outside-half Gareth Thompson’s conversion the last act of the first 40 minutes which ended 17-14.

The Black and Ambers started the second half on fire, replacement wing Elliot Frewen making a remarkable cameo as a temporary replacement for centre Tom Pascoe to score his 50th club try before being hauled off again after a matter of seconds. The conversion was off target.

The Newport pack starting to bully the Cardiff eight in the scrum but they failed to press home their advantage and Thompson closed the gap to 22-17 with less than 10 minutes to go.

But Pascoe settled his side’s nerves when he crossed for his side’s bonus-point try as the visitors made a hash of the restart, O’Brien added the extras.

Newport: G O'Driscoll, J Morris, C Smith, T Pascoe (E Frewen 41-43), A Sabri, M O’Brien, R James (R Bates 75), J Lavender (N Boyce 53), H Palmer (W Evans 69), K Dowding (G Harris 53), J Bartlett, D Partridge (R Cresswell 41), A Everett, K Tayler, L Greggains.

Newport scorers: Tries: A Sabri, R James, E Frewen, T Pascoe, Conversions: M O’Brien (3), Penalty: M O’Brien.

Cardiff: Ll Ap Myrddin (O Smyth 63), J Beal, W Rees-Hole, B Thomas, C Howells (P Lewis 49), G Thompson, G Watkin (M Hale 74), F Young (K Brown 49), E Lewis (C Tarrant 59), P Lloyd, O Lloyd, C Bradbury (K Smith 67), L Crocker (T Daley 53), J Botham, S Bennett.

Cardiff scorers: Tries: W Rees-Hole, S Bennett, Conversions: G Thompson (2), Penalty: G Thompson.

Referee: Gwyn Morris (WRU)

Argus star man: Tom Pascoe