Sat 2 Apr 2022
A large crowd gathered for the last home match of what has been a memorable and historic season with promotion gained at Doncaster last week and with this wonderfully talented team now gunning for the League title. Unbeknown to them they were within twenty seconds of achieving just that until over in South Yorkshire, Sheffield extended the fight to the final two games by scoring an interception try from their own line to win their match against Syston with the last play of the game and in so doing confirm their own promotion, so they too are to be congratulated.
Crucially, however, they failed to register a bonus point which means Newport now need just three points from their final two games which are both away from home at third placed Syston next Saturday and then at Nuneaton on the twenty-third to clinch that much-coveted title.
Newport were able to name a strong looking team with both Toby Evans and Dave Manning returning from RAF duties last Saturday but with headaches in the back row where Jack Price, Harry Mahoney, Chris Taylor and Rhys Morgan were all absent for various reasons so a new combination was required, Luke Kendall coming in at open-side, Oli Buckley in at Number 8 returning from illness together with James Morton at blind-side. Connor Adams returned to the squad and there was also a debut for local lad Luc Barratt, back from Uni, from the bench.
It was an inauspicious start to the game with both sides exchanging poor kicks in failed attempts to establish field position but Newport then looked odds-on to open the scoring before play was halted to allow a DK player to be attended to following a head injury. The visitors then drilled an excellent 50/22 kick to within ten metres of the Newport line whereupon Sam Evans was despatched to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock on, Sam Vaughan knocking over the resultant penalty to open the scoring on eleven minutes.
After a couple of strong drives it was Morton, looking more accomplished with every passing game, bursting through the defence. His off-load to Jake Leonard was timed to perfection enabling the full-back to scamper in under the posts, also adding the simple conversion to make it 7 – 3 after fourteen minutes. Some good forward phases then followed with both the impressive Matt Hubbart and Buckley making the hard yards to release Ricky Bailey who slipped his tackler and went in for the second try, Leonard again converting for 14 – 3, and all this achieved whilst still a man down.
Immediately from the re-start Buckley fielded the kick-off, Sam Brown broke down the left edge before feeding the indomitable Henry Vaka who finished off in the corner, Leonard’s conversion attempt striking a post but Newport led 19 – 3 after twenty-two minutes.
The visitors then enjoyed probably their best spell as they managed to secure the lion’s share of possession but they were met with Newport’s usual stern defence where Kendall is particularly happy bringing down the runners by the boot laces. A rather sedate period then ensued whereby the teams went in at half time with no addition to the score line.
For the start of the second period Jordan Grass replaced Jack Wells who had taken a knock and Newport were soon exerting pressure down the slope where Hubbart was held up over the line but DK had been penalised. Newport opted for the scrum in search of the all-important bonus point fourth try and after a couple of repeat set scrums following further infringements a nice switch play saw George Castledine cut through for a fine try, the conversion added and Newport led 26 – 3 after fifty-one minutes.
The visitors then set up a good position but turned over the ball allowing Newport to clear to half-way. DK were then penalised then marched back a further ten for a bit of back-chat which allowed Castledine to take advantage of a retreating defence, cutting through several would-be-tacklers to go in for the fifth try and extend the score to 31 – 3. Adams replaced Brown and Barratt came on for Buckley before the visitors, who were still proving combative, scored a well-deserved try after a number of phases in the Newport twenty-two had created enough space for Callum Nicholls to force his way over and narrow the gap to 31 – 8.
Toby Evans then finished off a sweeping move down the right on sixty minutes as Newport moved into top gear followed by a popular try for Kendall after some good tight phases from the big boys. Another set of quick hands down the right looked like another try was forthcoming but desperate defence kept them out before there was a bit of “pinball” right on the DK try line, the ever-alert Sam Evans pouncing on the loose ball to score, Leonard’s conversion bringing up the fifty at 50 – 8.
Still time for another, however, and a good combination again down the right flank between Adams and Morton put Toby Evans over for the final score of the day to conclude a resounding and entertaining victory that leaves Newport tantalisingly on the edge of title success.
Team: 15 Leonard, 14 T Evans, 13 Vaka, 12 Bailey, 11 S Evans, 10 Castledine, 9 Brown, 8 Buckley , 7 Kendall, 6 Morton, 5 Hubbart, 4 Goulson, 3 Manning, 2 Cowell, 1 Wells
Bench: 16 Grass, 17 Barratt, 18 Adams
Written by: Chris Wilde
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