Newport are a step closer to a first WRU National Cup triumph since 2001, after victory over Brynley Toms and his Bedwas teammates 43 – 14 secured a place in the Semi-Finals.
The Black and Ambers ran in six tries and kicked a further 13 points from the tee in a dominant performance from Craig Warlow’s men.
It was a bad start, though, as Tom Rowlands gave the hosts the lead with Steffan Jones adding the rest.
That sparked Newport into action and their response was emphatic. John Lavender’s mazy run helped them gain plenty of meters and Will Evans, who scored in Newport’s 29-7 defeat at the Bridge Field earlier in the season, brought them back into the game after a driving maul from the visitors proved too strong. The reliable Matt O’Brien restored parity from the tee.
The Black and Ambers continued to pour forward and lock Joe Bartlett faked a pass to his right to open up space to his left, which he exploited to put Newport ahead. O’Brien added the extras before going over himself two minutes later.
Bedwas forced Newport’s defense into action but a lack of accuracy with the final ball continued to cost them.
If this was a league game, Newport would’ve bagged a bonus point on the stroke of half time as Lavender bulldozed his way through a number of weak tackles to go over for Newport’s fourth try and O’Brien kicked the conversion to give the visitors a 19-point lead at the break.
O’Brien extended that lead even further with a close-range penalty early in the second half.
But Tom Devine hit back for the Wass shortly after the hour mark to bring the hosts back in to the game.
However, a yellow card to Bedwas’ Mike Dacey allowed Kyle Tayler and Haydn Simons to seal the victory.
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