IT was an afternoon of pure frustration for Newport who went down to a heavy bonus defeat despite giving Pontypridd a real game at Sardis Road.

Although the score looks horrendous for the Black and Ambers, they were actually the better side for much of this game but we guilty of gifting the hosts three cheap first half tries.

Ponty led 24-5 at the interval despite having done so little to deserve such a handsome advantage.

But the hosts had to wait until the dying minutes to score again, although when they did, they notched up their bonus point try, rubbing salt into the wound with a fifth touchdown just seconds later.

Two of the home side’s tries in the first 40 minutes came from soft interceptions, a half in which Newport created plenty of opportunities but failed to convert them into points.

This latest setback meant they have just a solitary victory and five defeats to show for their efforts in the league so far this season.

Worrying times indeed at Rodney Parade.

Newport actually had great start and were ahead after just four minutes with an unconverted try after a smart planned move up the left flank saw blindside flanker Rhodri Jones power over.

Their lead was short-lived however after they conceded their first interception try, Ponty centre Bradley Coombes picking up a loose fly-half Arwel Robson pass to cross under the posts, outside-half Callum Hall getting the extras.

The hosts extended their advantage to 10-5 after a quarter of an hour through a Hall penalty.

Newport clearly hadn’t learnt their lesson because they gifted Ponty another interception try when centre Dafydd Lockyer gathered before he put wing Alex Webber away for another easy seven-pointer.

The Black and Ambers were playing reasonably well but found themselves 17-5, further undone by critical errors, like a couple of forward passes when they had the hosts on their knees after cutting their defence to shreds.

In saying that, Ponty should have gone further ahead after half an hour when wing Joe Davies should have crossed for their third touchdown, but his opposite number Elliot Frewen pulled off a super try-saving tackle.

They did get their third before the interval, a real killer, when lock Hemi Barnes charged down scrum-half’s Ryan James’ attempted clearance from a lineout on his 22 and crossed for a converted score.

Another completely unnecessary score and Newport ended the half 19 points adrift.

A super 50-metre run by number eight Reuben Tucker took Newport into the Ponty half in the opening minutes of the second half as they looked to claw their way back.

They got themselves a couple of five-metre lineouts but unforgivably coughed the ball up all too easily.

Newport continued to press and Ponty hooker Ashleigh James was yellow carded for a breakdown offence to give the hosts hope of a chance at turning the game around.

The visitors made the breakthrough when full-back Geraint O’Driscoll rounded off a great move to score a try in the corner.

Replacement stand-off Matt O’Brien’s magnificent touchline conversion made it 24-12 with just under 20 minutes to go.

Ponty finally started to play however and they started to put the squeeze on Newport in the last quarter of an hour for the first time in the half, the visitors hoping to hit them with a counter attack.

The dam broke though when O’Driscoll was yellow carded for taking out Ponty replacement back Cameron Lewis in the air, although it was the Black and Ambers man who was badly hurt and had to be helped from the field.

With Newport depleted, Webber got his second try before his colleague on the other wing Davies also got in on the act score a touchdown with the last move of the game to pick up the five points and put a gloss on the score.

Pontypridd: D Stuckey. J Davies, B Coombes, D Lockyer (capt) (C Lewis 70), A Webber, C Hall, J Raikes, J Popple, A James, M Auger, H Barnes, C Dicomidis, D Davies (C Tarrant 57-67, L Evans 67), R Shellard, O Sheppeard (D Godfrey 67).

Pontypridd scorers: Tries – B Coombes, A Webber (2), H Barnes, J Davies, Conversions – C Hall (4), Penalty – Hall.

Newport: G O’Driscoll, L Ap Myrddin, T Riley, C Smith, E Frewen (W Cunliffe 61), A Robson (M O’Brien 61), R James (O Davies 62), J Greenfield (J Lavender 51), E Whitson (H Palmer 65), C Coleman (T Piper 51), A Brown (capt), D Mock, R Jones (H Williams 76), C Attwell, R Tucker (J Goodey 71).

Newport scorers: Tries – R Jones, G O’Driscoll, Conversion – M O’Brien.

Referee: Robert Price (WRU)