NEWPORT recorded a much-needed victory as they overcame Aberavon in a thrilling Swalec Cup tie at Rodney Parade.

The win avenged last week’s 20-16 defeat away to them at the Talbot Athletic Ground which consigned the Black and Ambers to the bottom of the Principality Premiership table, the Wizards leapfrogging them in the process.

It was a hard-earned win for the hosts and a sweet one which really keeps their season alive.

Newport’s scrum was under pressure early on in their own 22 and the Wizards were awarded a scrum in front of the posts only for outside half Cameron Clement to miss.

The Black and Ambers scored a great try in the 11th minute after wing Elliot Frewen made a scintillating break with the ball going slickly through the hands before full back Geraint O’Driscoll crossed in the corner for an unconverted score.

A crunching tackle by the hosts’ wing Jonathan Morris soon after put the visitors on the back foot as they attempted to spin the ball wide.

From the ensuing foot rush, Newport were awarded a penalty from 40 metres which was slotted over by O’Driscoll to give his team an 8-0 lead.

But Aberavon hit back immediately in the 19th minute with a clever try which caught the home side napping.

Hooker Ieuan Davies and captain Sam Williams combined to send the second row over after throwing the ball in to the front of the lineout and inter-passing down the blindside.

Clement’s conversion brought the Wizards back to within a point.

The Talbot Athletic Ground team began to shade matters slightly for the next ten minutes as Newport were heavily penalised and made some basic errors.

The Black and Ambers looked to unleash their backs and they put together a smart move about five minutes before half time when promising centre Barney Nightingale made ground before passing to captain and openside flanker Ollie Griffiths who took the ball deep into Aberavon territory.

Outside half Julian Mogg’s grubber made Aberavon take the ball out of play just metres from their own line but Newport lost the crucial lineout.

The hosts’ cause was helped when number eight Sam Cross was sent to the sin bin for infringing at the breakdown.

The Wizards scented blood as they went for Newport’s jugular with their opponents down to 14 men, only heroic last-ditch defence preventing the visitors from taking the lead.

Aberavon looked certain to score a try from a scrum five but had to settle for a Clement three-pointer after another penalty at the contact area, the interval score being 10-8 in his side’s favour.

Newport looked to go through the phases early in the second half to try and build momentum but they were having a tough day at the contact area.

And just has they had managed to generate some decent field position, they threw a crooked lineout.

They secured a turnover deep in their opponents territory but Newport were again penalised at the breakdown as frustration mounted, the home fans’ ire directed against referee Rhys Thomas.

A rare penalty in their favour at the contact area gave O’Driscoll a long range shot at goal to regain the lead after 58 minutes but he was off target.

The pendulum should have swung decisively in Newport’s favour with 17 minutes to go when replacement forward Chris Davies was sent off for a high tackle on Adam Brown.

But the home side’s tighthead prop Alex Jeffries was also sent from the field for getting a yellow card for the melee which followed.

A fabulous counter attack from deep saw Frewen kick ahead only to be taken out by an Aberavon defender.

Mystifyingly, the referee didn’t give a penalty.

Aberavon had to play the last six minutes with 13 men when their centre David Richard-Evans was yellow carded for infringing at a ruck.

O’Driscoll made no mistake with the penalty to put his side ahead in the closing stages.

Newport endured a nerve-jangling final few minutes to deservedly take the spoils.

Newport: G O' Driscoll, J Morris, D Robinson (O Broad 73), B Nightingale, E Frewen, J Mogg, O Davies, J Greenfield (D Pattison 75), Andrew Brown, A Jeffries, Adam Brown, A Frampton, R Jenkins (Craig Davies 65-75) (S Feehan 75), O Griffiths (capt), S Cross.

Replacements: D Rogers, R Gibbon, Jon Lewis, C Rees.

Scorers: Try – Geraint O’Driscoll (11), Penalties – O’Driscoll (17) (75)

Aberavon: M Williams; K Corbisiero, W Price, D Evans, S Andrews; C Clement (Rowan Jenkins 67), D Davies; N White, I Davies, A Clatworthy (R Harford 61), A Beard, S Williams (capt), R Dudley-Jones (C Davies 43), B Davies, N Brown.

Replacements: D Pritchard; D Ryan, M Jenkins, G Harvey, L Purnell, R Jenkins,

Scorers: Try – Sam Williams (19), Conversion – Cameron Clement (19), Penalty – Clement (40)

Referee: Rhys Thomas (WRU)

Argus star man: Geraint O' Driscoll