Back on course? by Steve Bennett
Newport pulled off the shock of the weekend with a deserved victory at Newport Stadium over league leaders Ebbw Vale.
On a dry day after plenty of rain during the week. The black & ambers were looking for their first league win of the season, compared to the visitors who were riding high on top unbeaten with maximum points. Newport started with what looked on paper to be their strongest line-up so far. The wind was blowing at an angle from the cricket club end, moderate at first it was to intensify in strength by the end of the game and at times change direction by 180 degrees.
Newport’s Jac Lloyd got proceeding’s underway kicking towards the Cricket end.
The game started brightly with both sides opening up play on four minutes Ebbw Vale were awarded a penalty for a high tackle and outside half Dorian Jones put play into the corner, but nothing came of it as Newport disrupted the line-out and Ebbw knocked on.
A great kick by Jac Lloyd put Newport into the visitors end of the field, although the stern defence of the visitors thwarted any hopes of getting the scoreboard up and running.
On 11 minutes Ebbw Vale were back in the Newport 22 and after a period of pick and go the visitors spread the ball to the wing for wing Ewan Bowden to open the scoring for the visitors, the conversion was missed from wideout.
Newport 0 – 5 Ebbw Vale
For the next ten minute the play was even although Ebbw Vale were accumulating mor penalties and visits to Newport’s 22.
Then after 22 minutes Newport took play into the visitor’s right corner at the Spytty Road end, Ebbw’s defence final cracked when the Ebbw defence opened up like the Red Sea near halfway and it gave speedster Finn Baker the space to go over, Jac Lloyd converted to put Newport in the lead.
Newport 7 – 5 Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale came back and exerted great pressure on the Newport defence who held their line magnificently, time after time Ebbw were thrown back in bone crunching tackles. The last ten minutes of the half saw Newport begin to stamp their mark on the Ebbw scrum who despite starting to struggle in the scrum were given some baffling decisions in their favour. Ebbw laid siege to Newport’s line but as was the norm Newport’s forwards were nowhere near cracking, exemplified on 38 minutes where Newport’s tenacious defence repelled the visitors attack. The half ended with only a two-point lead and more crucially the visitors would have the wind in their favour which was getting stronger.
Half time Newport 7 – 5 Ebbw Vale
The first ten minutes of the half was an even affair with Newport’s defence as resolute as in the first half, although it must be said that the visitors were tackling soundly as well. The rest of the half was virtually a stalemate where each sides defence cancelling each other out. The match began to look like it was going to be a 7-5 win for Newport as nobody looked like scoring, and in the 76th minute Ebbw Vale outside half attempted a penalty goal kick from 60 metres which went low and wide.
As the clock went onto 80 minutes of normal time the Ebbw Vale defence opened up after Newport pressure and speedster Finn Baker took the opportunity to speed in to score what was to be the winning score. Although this was not the finale to the match as referee Gareth Newman played what was to be an extra seven minutes added on in that time Newport’s forwards stuck the ball up their jumper and played the clock down to what they thought was the games end, time was up so they thought, the ball was kicked into the stand and Newport players were celebrating, but referee Newman insisted that the line out should be played.
Ebbw Vale knocked on from the line out and Newport could finally celebrate.
Ebbw Vale’s much vaunted driving maul was pretty much anonymous during the game as the Newport pack stopped it in its tracks and disrupted it. Barny Langton Cryer was outstanding in this department although all the forwards played a magnificent role. Newport’s line out was solid, and the scrums were getting better as the game went on. The one up tackling was top draw and the sheer determination to defend their line was admirable.
Although everything must be admired in their performance the decision to kick high into the wind and the box kicking against the wind could have undone all that what Newport had achieved during the match. But thankfully Newport saw out the game for a well-deserved the win.
Man of the Match: Barny Langton Cryer
Newport are next in action this Saturday at the Brewery Field 14:30 kick off, the next home game is against Cardiff at Rodney Parade on Friday 21st November 2025 kick off 19:30.