NEWPORT head coach Craig Warlow wants to avoid a post-Merthyr hangover tonight, as his players strive to follow up their defeat of the reigning Principality Premiership champions with another win.

Last Saturday’s superb 19-18 victory at the Wern against the side who were then leading the league took the Black and Ambers’ winning streak to six in all competitions.

They bid for a seventh straight success this evening when one-from-bottom Bridgend visit Rodney Parade (kick-off 7.30pm).

Warlow expects to go with a similar matchday squad as the Ironmen clash, though the impact of the bench in Merthyr could see him make a couple of changes to his starting XV.

“It was a good result,” said Warlow when reflecting on that triumph last time out.

“Believe it or not, it wasn’t a vintage performance.

“If you want to beat teams like Merthyr it is usually through bold attacking play and scoring tries.

“We had a degree of control and went into it with a game plan and the boys were excellent in carrying that out.

“We did the little things really well and built a lot of pressure on them.

“We didn’t play pretty attacking rugby, we just didn’t give Merthyr the opportunities.

“The majority of the squad for tonight will be the same after a performance like that. The bench made a big impact last week so there will be one or two changes to the team.

“We haven’t really got any injuries at the moment, but it’s something you tend to find when you’re on a good run. Those little knocks seem to be pushed to the backs of players’ minds.”

He added: “Bridgend beat Merthyr last season and then went a few months without winning, so it will be interesting to see how the boys go after last weekend.

“Merthyr were there to be shot at in the same way we will be against Bridgend.

“But after such a good result we don’t want to undo it all by losing the next game.

“We’ve got big games coming up next Tuesday and then the Sunday after, but we all realise that it is always about the next game.”

Warlow was pleased to see Elliot Frewen and Morgan Burgess return to the fold at Merthyr, with both adding plenty of energy to a side already in a buoyant mood and sitting fourth in the table.