Reed excels in Newport triumph
WILL Reed returned to the Newport line-up to kick 15 points and then secure the final turnover in the 82nd minute that steered the Black & Ambers to a thrilling 25-21 Premiership Cup victory over Aberavon.
Matt O’Brien conjured up an inch-perfect cross field pass that put his winger Johnny Morris in to score the opening try.
Reed added three more penalties to another by Thomas to give Newport a handy 17-6 interval lead.
The Wizards cut the gap with Thomas’ third penalty at the start of the second half and then got even closer when hooker Ieuan Davies converted a driving line-out maul. Reed’s fifth penalty of the game gave Newport a six point cushion at 20-14, but it didn’t last long.
Aberavon scored a penalty try and Newport were down to 14 men.
However, the response was superb as O’Brien sidestepped his way over for a try that regained the lead.
Reed secured the vital final turnover as Aberavon threw the kitchen sink at Newport in search of the winning try.
Elsewhere, Neath came from behind against favourites Bargoed to lift the Championship Cup with a 16-13 win at Principality Stadium last Sunday despite trailing by 10 points at half-time.
Neath took an early lead through Steff Williams’ penalty but James Leadbetter replied with a try to give Bargoed the lead.
Tim Ryan was yellow carded in the second half but Neath did not concede in his absence and Williams’ second penalty reduced the deficit to seven points.
Just a few minutes later, Neath winger James Roberts broke away down the left to put them within two points and a try from Matthew Jenkins clinched the victory.
Penallta took Treorchy’s unbeaten record to win the Plate for the third time with an impressive 34-10 win. They scored four tries to two and outside half Joe Scrivens kicked 14 points.
Llanharan won the Bowl with a 32-24 win over Bryncethin that included two tries each for cousins Jack and Ieuan Pring. In the Shield final, Tonna scored seven tries, including one from former Wales prop Craig Mitchell, in a 52-19 win over Crumlin.