Newport took full advantage of a weakened Cardiff team to beat their city rivals 31-3 in the Welsh Premiership on New Year's Day.

With a Celtic League semi-final looming at Neath on Saturday, Cardiff coach Dai Young had little choice but to name primarily youngsters and squad players for the Rodney Parade match.

Thanks to the muddled and crowded fixture list, what is normally a blood-and-thunder clash between great rivals was reduced to a pale imitation.

Scoring details:

Newport (23) 31: Tries: Forster, Voyle, Pritchard, Tonu'u. Cons: Strange 4. Pen: Strange. Cardiff (3) 3: Pen: Robinson. Att: 7,503

Cardiff's youngsters showed great spirit throughout, with half-back pair Ryan Powell and Nicky Robinson doing their best with their scraps of possession.

Seven of the Cardiff starting line-up were aged 21 or under, with full-back Leon Andrews and centre Richard Jones making first-team debuts.

Newport, meanwhile, paraded seven internationals, including former Springbok Percy Montgomery.

The Blue and Blacks were outmuscled in the scrum, while their defence suffered from a lack of organisation, although not courage.

Newport hardly needed to get out of second gear and the game lacked any real urgency as a result.

Persistent and heavy rain meant that the game was given a final go-ahead only 30 minutes before kick-off, but it was Newport who made heavy weather.

The conditions made it quite tough Newport full-back Percy Montgomery

Chances were wasted in the second half as the Black and Ambers missed a golden opportunity to give their points difference a real boost.

The early signs had been good, as Jason Forster opened the scoring after nine minutes when the rolling Newport pack easily shunted the flanker over the try line.

Jason Strange, getting the nod at fly-half because of Shane Howarth's erratic kicking, justified his inclusion by stroking the conversion.

Robinson got Cardiff on the scoreboard soon after with a penalty, but that was the total of the visitors' success as Newport bossed the rest of the half.

A break by Hal Luscombe sucked in the Cardiff defence and quick delivery from scrum-half Ofisa Tonu'u gave lock Mike Voyle the space to barge over.

Strange added the extras and a penalty, before striking two more points when Jon Pritchard romped through the Cardiff midfield to score Newport's third try.

Montgomery was rarely troubled at full-back

It could have been worse but for Cardiff wing Dean Dewdney's fine cover tackle as Alex Cadwallader raced for the line.

With a 24-3 lead at the break, Newport knew the game was won and their casual play in the second half gave ample evidence.

Cardiff battled on, however, Robinson catching the eye with a couple of twinkling breaks that fizzled out through lack of support.

Montgomery had the opposite problem as he raced the length of the pitch after his huge punt caught the Cardiff defence napping.

With the try line seemingly at the former Springbok full-back's mercy, Luscombe selfishly attempted to get to the ball first and ruined the chance for both of them.

Nevertheless, Cardiff were trapped in their 22 and eventually Tonu'u muscled his way over, with Strange keeping up his 100% success at goal to cap the result.

Newport: Percy Montgomery; Hal Luscombe, Jon Pritchard, Andy Marinos, Alex Cadwallader; Jason Strange, Ofisa Tonu'u; Ceri Jones, James Richards, Adrian Garvey, Ian Gough, Mike Voyle, Gareth Gravell, Jason Forster, Steve Ojomoh.
Reps: Pattison, Paul Young, Simon Raiwalui, Andrew Powell, Dale Burn, Shane Howarth, Luke Nabaro.

Cardiff: Leon Andrews; Anthony Sullivan, Donovan van Vuuren, Richard Jones, Dean Dewdney; Nick Robinson, Ryan Powell; John Yapp, Greg Woods, Dai Young, Adam Jones, Luke Tait, Chris Stamatakis, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Dan McShane.
Reps: Tim Payne, Aled Jones, Lewis Collins, Nick Hampson, Gareth McCarthy, Nick Walne, Elgan Jones.

Referee: Nigel Williams (WRU).