THAT Newport were just hitting their stride when the Premiership was cancelled summed up a frustrating season for the Black and Ambers.
Ty Morris' men had been on song since the turn of the year with wins against Bridgend, Ebbw Vale, Swansea and Pontypridd.
That success at Sardis Road looked like being the launchpad for a challenge for the top six and qualification for the 2021 tournament with Scottish teams... and then coronavirus struck.
The Welsh Rugby Union, with the understanding of all clubs, called off their competitions to leave Newport sat eighth in the table with seven games remaining.
It brought a sudden end to a season that had failed to really ignite for the Rodney Parade club, hit by an extremely early exit in the WRU National Cup and a glut of postponements.
Off the field there was frustration about their place in the pecking order at their historic home with a dispute with the Dragons over the operating cost for matchdays.
On it there were large spells of inactivity.
Newport had a rather farcical month-long gap after just two games of the season, facing Aberavon on October 13 after losing to Carmarthen Quins on September 12.
There was another lull from mid-December until January and a fortnight off in February.
"It was stop-start, stop-start and really challenging," admitted head coach Morris. "We had a bit of a rocky start and misfired but since Christmas we were going well.
"We had a good run of games to come at home and were really looking to push for the top six.
"We were doing something right, so hopefully we will be able to pick up where we left off next season because there was a good feeling in the squad and everybody was happy."
Newport were building up a head of steam in the league but weren't one of the four teams denied by the cup being cancelled.
The Black and Ambers fell at the first hurdle in their bid to go one better than 2016, when overpowered by Merthyr at Principality Stadium.
Carmarthen deservedly took the spoils in Newport on the second weekend of the season.
"I felt that we were really ready for the season but we were perhaps unlucky to get Carmarthen Quins and they went on to prove how good they are," said Morris.
"After that game I thought that they would go on to have a big season because their pack was tremendous and that was the case."
Soon Newport will start plotting a stronger campaign in both competitions and the squad are staying in touch through social media during lockdown with players given fitness programmes to follow.
The hope is that they will hit the ground running in 2020/21, although they don't yet know which of their many pre-season plans they will be following.
"We've kept the majority for next season so there is no reason why this can't continue, but it's just the ifs and buts at the moment," said Morris.
"Everybody is in the same boat with uncertainty about pre-season – how many weeks will it be?
"Hopefully we will be able to find more consistency next season and we have to continue our good work in defence. That focus was clicking into place and we kept some top teams out at the start of the year.
"I think we are known for scoring tries and playing attractive rugby but it's about finding the balance because we were guilty of overplaying at times when the weather wasn't suitable and ended up gifting tries through errors.
"But (fly-half) Matt O'Brien developed hugely as the season went on with his game management improving, so that bodes well."
TOMORROW: A look back on Ebbw Vale's battle against the drop
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