BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | Celtic | Newport make winning start

Welsh Premiership
Newport 36-10 Caerphilly

Newport recorded their second victory in three days after going eight games without a win by brushing aside Caerphilly at Rodney Parade.

The Newport forwards built a solid platform for the success, although possession was often wasted by an over-eager back division.

But the home side, already out of Celtic League contention and struggling to progress from their Heineken Cup qualifying group, are at least starting to rebuild confidence.

Scoring details

Newport (15) 36
Tries: J Forster, Howarth, Penalty, Gravell, Garvey
Cons: Strange (4)
Pens: Strange

Caerphilly (0) 10
Tries: Cox, Howell

Att: 4,850

And while Caerphilly could hardly be viewed as a dangerous threat, Newport were still given a thorough workout.

The home side outscored their visitors five tries to two, but it should have been so much more.

On several occasions, Newport squandered quality possession, and better sides than Caerphilly would undoubtedly have made them pay.

Newport took a fourth-minute lead when flanker Jason Forster dived over from close range.

Caerphilly's Joe El-Abd is caught by Jason Forster
Caerphilly's problems up-front were underlined just 12 minutes later after they conceded a penalty try which Newport fly-half Jason Strange converted.

Caerphilly had prop Lee Manning sin-binned on 18 minutes for a technical infringement, yet Newport could not make their one man advantage count and only added a Strange penalty before the break.

Caerphilly battled hard in the second period, claiming tries from England under-21 centre Sam Cox and wing Ryan Howells.

Newport, though ran away with it by adding further touchdowns from full-back Shane Howarth, flanker Gareth Gravell and substitute prop Adrian Garvey.

Newport: Shane Howarth; Alex Cadwallader, Hal Luscombe, Scott Williams, Luke Nabaro; Jason Strange, Ofisa Tonu'u; Rod Snow, James Richards, Chris Anthony, Simon Raiwalui (capt), Mike Voyle, Gareth Gravell, Jason Forster, Steve Ojomoh.
Reps: Adrian Garvey, Dave Pattison, Matthew Veater, Rhys Jones, Matt Pini, Matt Mostyn, Llyr Lane.

Caerphilly: S Tuipulotu, G Lewis, R Boobyer, S Cox, R Howells, J Thomas, A Chilten, L Manning, C Ferris (capt), R Skuse, N Rouse, N Watkins, G Jones, A Williams, J El-Abd.
Reps: G Liddon, F Vunipola, M Workman, O Ashman, J Murphy, S Headington, D Sweet.

Referee: Kerry Evans (WRU)


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