NEWPORT find themselves still rooted to the bottom of the Principality Premiership table after coming second best to Bridgend in the weekend’s big basement battle.

Their mini revival after back-to-back wins over Aberavon and Carmarthen Quins came to an abrupt end at Rodney Parade.

They were outplayed by a Ravens side who had put league champions Pontypridd to the sword last week.

The Black and Ambers were bitterly disappointing and never really looked like winning.

A lively opening saw both sides size each other up before Bridgend had a chance to take the lead in the 10th minute, only for outside half James Dixon’s eminently kickable penalty to go wide.

The Ravens took control of the game in the opening quarter with the hosts unable to get out of their own half for long periods. The visitors got the score they richly deserved when wing Tom O’Flaherty crossed for an unconverted try after Bridgend’s gamble paid off after turning down a shot at goal, the score 5-0 in their favour after 20 minutes.

However, much of their hard work was cancelled out when the Black and Ambers hit back almost immediately with a finely struck long distance penalty by their full back Geraint O’Driscoll.

Bridgend were stung into action, responding with a fine try, another for O’Flaherty, after his side cut the Newport defence to ribbons.

Dixon missed another tricky conversion, but his side were now 10-3 in the lead with 26 minutes gone.

Newport looked to have scored a gem of a try just seconds later, but O’Driscoll’s pass to wing Owen Broad was a fraction forward.

The home side battered the Bridgend line and went close to crossing but they had to settle for another O’Driscoll penalty.

The game was held up just before half-time for a serious looking injury to Broad who was in some pain, the wing being stretchered off.

The second half didn’t start well for the hosts after they conceded a silly penalty for playing the ball in an offside position after a knock-on.

Dixon made no mistake with his shot at goal to give the Ravens a 13-6 lead.

Newport’s defensive frailties were again brutally exposed by the visitors when they carved through them for try number three, scored and converted by former Black and Ambers man Dixon.

But Newport refused to surrender and they were back in the game when the dangerous Elliot Frewen finished well after being given some space down the left wing, O’Driscoll reducing the deficit to 20-13 with half an hour to go.

Spurred on by this score, they should have reduced the gap to just four, only for O’Driscoll to miss a sitter of a penalty as the game approached the final quarter.

Ravens full back Owen Howe made no mistake however when he kicked a fine long range penalty to give his side a 10-point advantage.

Newport were given a lifeline when the visitors’ lock Ben Jones was yellow carded for infringing at a maul.

But they were unable to make their one-man advantage tell, their faltering scrum leaving them down once again as they found themselves in excellent field position, deep in enemy territory.

Bridgend held on to their comfortable lead with ease and Newport will have much to ponder after a seriously below par performance after recent victories had promised much.

Newport: G O'Driscoll, O Broad (D Franchi 38), N Edwards, Ll ap Myrddin (A Quick 77), E Frewen, J Mogg, O Davies, D Pattison (James Greenfield 63), H Gustafson (Andrew Brown 65), L Fairbrother, Adam Brown (capt), A Frampton, R Gibbon, R Jenkins (J Hayward 79), S Feehan.

Scorers: Tries – Frewen (50) , Penalties – O’Driscoll (23) (32), Conversions – O’Driscoll (50)

Bridgend: O Howe, T O'Flaherty (A Fenton 78), S Winn (S Cullen 61), A Williams, M Powell, J Dixon, C Williams, G Carpenter (M Auger 76), A James (capt), C Lewis, H Williams, B Jones, A Waite, A O'Driscoll, M Phillips (A Evans 78).

Bridgend scorers: Tries – O’Flaherty (20) (26), Dixon (45), Penalties – Dixon (42), Howe (62), Conversions – Dixon (45)

Referee: Wayne Davies (WRU)