Sat 1 Apr 2023, 14:15
Having secured their National League status last week, and with the pressure off, Newport had the chance to finish the season with a flourish starting with the visit of Herefordshire outfit Luctonians to Stade Bloor last Saturday. Unfortunately, they were far from their best and were deservedly beaten by a well-drilled, organised Lucs side who have already guaranteed their highest ever placing since leagues were introduced.
That’s not to say Newport couldn’t have won it but they failed to convert numerous chances when in the danger zone, most notably from a number of short-range line outs on their own throw, an area of their game that sadly misfired for most of the afternoon.
Perez Raqio returned to the starting line up at hooker whilst Jack Wells switched to prop and Kaid O’Neill filled the tight head role with Matt Meek taking his turn on the bench.
There was an awkward cross-wind blowing strongly towards the clubhouse but the home side were given the advantage of the slope for the first half, yet it was Lucs who dominated the early possession and territory. Newport were lucky to survive an early scare when a Lucs catch and drive was deemed to be held up after seven minutes but it didn’t take too much longer for the visitors to open the scoring after a series of repeat penalties took them to within five metres where Aiden Cheshire was driven over for the first of his three tries on the day, conversion missed, as were all but one on the day, but Lucs held a 0 – 5 lead.
Eighteen minutes in, Newport were getting themselves back into the game and after moving the ball right Charlie Gamble put in a neat chip and chase that saw him win the race to regather and score to tie things up at 5 – 5. Newport were enjoying a good spell and after Matt Hubbart and Chris Perry had been denied the Raqio brothers produced some clever hands to allow Danny Brough to finish in style and put Newport 10 – 5 up. The half ended with a series of repeat penalties that took Lucs back up to the Newport line where the almost inevitable catch and drive try ensued, leading try scorer Ben Link claiming the try so the sides went in 10 – 10 at the break.
Newport are notoriously very adept at playing up the slope but they were rocked almost from the start of the second half when Josh Watkins cut through the Newport defence far too easily to put Lucs ahead again at 10 -15 after forty-three minutes.
Jake Leonard then put a penalty into the Lucs twenty-two where the ball was then worked right for Perry, who was probably the pick of the bunch on the day with a strong defensive effort, to find a gap and feed Brough for what was his tenth try in just eight appearances and things were tied up again at 15 – 15 at which point it appeared to be anyone’s game with thirty-three minutes left to play.
Lucs then spent time in the Newport twenty-two and forced a goal line drop out, Newport fortunate to escape after a clearance kick was charged down. Lucs put a penalty to within ten that produced yet another well controlled catch and drive try for the visitors, Cheshire claiming his second score followed by a somewhat sarcastic cheer from the large crowd for the first successful conversion of the day from Louis Silver to make it 15 – 22 to the visitors after fifty-eight minutes but giving the hosts ample time to respond.
Newport succeeded in drawing several penalties, mostly into the left hand corner but just couldn’t claim their own throw and the one time they did and with the maul moving forwards George Boughey mistakenly ran in to support the drive but with the referee having not yet signalled the end of the line-out they conceded the penalty. Rhys Morgan, who had entered the fray from the bench made a number of barrelling runs that got Newport over the gain-line but they were unable to take full advantage of his efforts
Similar opportunities came and went and whilst the Newport execution was generally poor some credit must be given to the visitor’s defence for repelling the danger.
Lucs then put up a swirling box-kick where both Kev Raqio and Brough collided on half way so both failed to secure the ball which was then gobbled up by Cheshire who just about got home before being caught by the cover to complete his hat-trick and all of a sudden the game had gone at 15 – 27 and for the first time this season Newport would collect zero points from a home game.
In summary, not the best performance by a long stretch and beaten by a better team on the day. They now have a break from action until travelling down to Bristol to tackle Ding’s Crusaders in their final away game of the season on 15th April.
Written by: Chris Wilde
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