NEWPORT’S hopes of back-to-back titles may have been extinguished by St Fagans a fortnight ago, but they can still have a big say on who will win the South Wales Premier League’s top tier this term.

The defending champions bounced back from their 24-run defeat to the current leaders with last Saturday’s 15-run victory over basement boys Clydach, leaving them 36 points behind the Saints.

While fifth-placed Newport, Division One winners in 2016 and 2018, are now looking to finish as high as they can, tomorrow’s opponents Neath remain firmly in the hunt for the big prize.

Neath will arrive at Spytty Park 13 points adrift of the frontrunners, who go to fourth-placed Port Talbot.

The team in second were comfortable six-wicket winners in the reverse fixture against Newport two months ago and were sharing top spot with the Saints going into last weekend.

However, a century from opener Ruaidhri Smith set St Fagans on the way to a 51-run victory, one that gives them the upper hand with five games left.

It is as you were at the bottom of Division Two, where Panteg and Newport Fugitives occupy the two relegation places.

Not even 134 off 97 balls from Jack Thorpe-Yon could save the Fugitives against leaders Swansea on a batting friendly wicket at St Helen’s.

The Fugitives bowlers came in for some rough treatment as the hosts blasted their way to 366-7 batting first, Paul Eedy and Roy Emmott going for 10 and eight an over respectively.

Thorpe-Yon did everything he could in reply, smashing 11 fours and as many maximums, while Rob Williams made 49, but the visitors had to settle for eight bonus points in an 86-run reverse.

They go to third-placed Ynysygerwn tomorrow hoping that Swansea will continue their march to the title by seeing off Gorseinon, the side immediately above the Fugitives in the standings.

The gap is 34 points but the Fugitives host Gorseinon next Saturday in a key clash.

Panteg need to beat rivals Malpas at home tomorrow if they are to stand any chance of staging a great escape.

They came so close to beating Ynysygerwn last time out before eventually succumbing by just 10 runs.

Malpas and Newbridge both picked up huge triumphs to move further away from the danger zone.

In defeating Ynystawe, Newbridge made it back-to-back wins for the first time since the opening two Saturdays of the season.

They have also now won three of their last four and go to a Carmarthen Wanderers team smarting from a defeat at Malpas.

Chepstow are still in pole position in the race for the South East Wales League Division One crown, despite slipping up away to Usk.

The gap between the leaders, who have lost two of three, and Abergavenny is now 19 points with seven matches to be played.

In terms of recent form, Monmouth are right up there with the best in the division after three wins on the spin.

They will fancy their chances of making it four in a row at home to Abergavenny tomorrow, while fourth-placed Usk travel to Brecon.

Blackwood were routed by Sudbrook in their latest outing, going down to a crushing 270-run defeat.

Croesyceiliog are gunning for a third win in succession when they go to Blackwood, while Sudbrook are away to Miskin Manor.