NEWPORT hope to overcome adversity to take the spoils against Llanelli and climb off the bottom of the Principality Premiership on Friday evening.

The Black and Ambers’ lengthy list of absentees has been joined by wing Owen Broad who faces a spell on the sidelines after tearing his left Achilles in last weekend’s 23-13 loss to Bridgend.

Newport, who are hoping to have some assistance from the Dragons, already had a crowded treatment room while captain Ollie Griffiths is away with Wales Under-20s and fellow back rower Sam Cross is on international sevens duty.

“Owen is a big loss on the field but also off it because he is a really strong, positive influence on the squad,” said backs coach Craig Warlow.

“We have been disjointed behind the scrum this season and haven’t been able to pick the same set of backs but Owen, even when not in the team, is always keen to contribute.”

Nonetheless Warlow is quick to stress that it’s not all doom and gloom for Newport despite their injury problems and plight at the bottom of the table, four points back on Neath.

“We are in a bad spot in terms of results but I still believe that the gap between winning and losing is so slim in this league,” said the former fly-half. “Bridgend were bottom a fortnight ago and have now enjoyed three wins in a row.

“We just need to be a little bit more accurate and to have a little bit more luck, then we can play with more confidence.”

Llanelli sit in the table but ended a run of three successive defeats by beating Neath 23-18 at the Gnoll last weekend.

Warlow is hopeful that Newport can provide plenty of possession to enable their strike threats to run on the wide expanses of Parc y Scarlets.

“We need to be better in clearing the tackle area and in our ball presentation to make sure that we get our dangerous runners in play,” he said.