MORRIS’ MEN LIFT HOPES OF TOP-4 FINISH
JASON Hyatt was adamant last week that his Aberavon side would finish in the top four and reach the Indigo Premiership play-offs.
He might be right, but they now face an even bigger task after falling to Newport at home.
Opposite number Ty Morris had set his side the task of winning all eight remaining games to push their chances, and this was a great start.
Whatever happens to the Wizards, who fell out of the top four as Ebbw Vale replaced them, they remain one of the toughest teams to beat in the league.
“The thing about this league is that on their day anyone can beat anyone. I feel we are still good enough to make the top four and then anything can happen,” said Hyatt.
Already in the semi-finals of the WRU Premiership Cup, a trophy they picked up last season, Newport were able to move up into sixth place on the back of this hard-fought win.
They are now within nine points of Ebbw Vale in fourth with a game in hand.
Wins over the Wizards are always hard to come by and it wasn’t until Ioan Davies flew over in the corner in the 76th minute that there was any real daylight between the teams.
The home fans thought he might have been in touch, or at least wished he had been, but the referee got the thumbs-up from his assistant.
If that was the sting in the tail, the Black and Ambers also got off to a flying start.
Hooker Henry Palmer once again proved his value as he not only threw into the line-out, but then joined the driving maul that pushed the Aberavon pack over their line to allow him to bag another close-range try.
If that was just the reaction Morris was looking for from his side, he wouldn’t have been so happy to see Nathan Evans depart in the 11th minute for a yellow card offence.
Moments later, Aled Thomas put the Wizards on the scoreboard with a penalty.
It remained tight in the first half between two enterprising sides, although Newport managed to conjure up a piece of magic that ended with centre Cameron Davies crossing for a candidate for try of the season just before the half-hour mark.
Skipper Matt O’Brien added the extras and it remained 12-3 at the break.
With both packs cancelling each other out, it was always going to be a tense tussle and there were only two more scores in the final 40 minutes.
Aberavon moved to within two points just after the hour mark when lock Shay Smallman went over for a try that Thomas converted.
That came with Newport No. 8 Rhys Jenkins off the field during a blood-bin exchange in the Black and Ambers’ front row.
That score put the visitors under even greater pressure, and in danger of being pushed out of the top-four running, but they stayed strong.
Then came the final score of the game from wing Davies to take his side seven points clear. Aberavon – Try: S Smallman; Con: A Thomas; Pen: A Thomas.
Newport – Tries: H Palmer, C Davies, I Davies; Con: M O’Brien.