Monday 30 March 2026 09:29
In blustery conditions and with a makeshift squad, Newport’s inspired second-half performance defied understandably low expectations. Newport’s resilience was tested to the maximum, into the first-half headwind, by a competent and organised Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury had the clear advantage in the scrum and with speedy backs, easily kept Newport penned in the danger zone. However, breaching Shrewsbury’s tryline and containing them to just three converted tries gave Newport optimism and hope for the second period.
From the first moments, double tackles and terrific linespeed from Ed Udale and Henry Holmes set the tempo of Newport’s defence. And whilst Shrewsbury’s flowing move to the left curtailed with the ball sailing harmlessly out of play, Newport’s tight line looked remarkably assured. But when a quickly taken penalty, only yards outside their own 22, resulted in a Shrewsbury interception, Newport were turned inside out; Shrewsbury rounding under the posts.
Newport responded with some attacking threat with useful carries but Shrewsbury’s backs had speed in abundance, causing Newport real difficulties. Billy Parry and Rob Taylor managed to usher Shrewsbury’s fullback out of play and Shrewsbury’s winger at full tilt, was unceremonially halted. Alas the force and variation of attack inevitably led to Shrewsbury doubling their lead.
James Lohan hefted forward to create an opening which Jamie Robinson exploited with a sharp blast into midfield. Harry Peregrine, in support, maintained Newport’s advance with Holmes also then battering forward and with the recycled ball received on the left wing, Taylor completed Newport’s best spell and opened their scoring.
Newport now toiled to prevent Shrewsbury gaining any further points. Jack Charnock’s tryline tackle and hold-up, Robinson’s recovery tackle forcing the knock-on and Shrewsbury again sailed a dangerous pass to their winger out of play. But countless tackles at the tryline to deny Shrewsbury showed a steely determination which almost saw the half out. Of course, Shrewsbury achieved their third with only moments left before the whistle.
Newport initiated attack mode for the second-half but needed some time to click fully into gear. Once Udale snatched possession from Shrewsbury’s marauding second-row giant and Robinson again instinctively launched the counter-attack, Newport’s disjointedness seemed to disappear. Creeping their way forward, Parry’s pick-up at the rear of the scrum and unstoppable charge brought more points but more importantly, genuine belief.
Demitrius Constantinedes’ short lineout to Alastair Heath caught Shrewsbury napping and suddenly Newport were hammering at the door again. Then, giving the ball some flight, Newport whizzed left. Udale’s catch, change of direction and power to the tryline, under the posts, giving Kyle Smith a decent target and Newport just four points adrift.
Shrewsbury though sensed Newport’s revival and stepped up to the challenge. Newport, missing touch from a penalty deep in their 22, allowed Shrewsbury to re-pressurise Newport’s ragged defence with several phases eventually seeing them re-establish an eleven-point lead.
Despite there being plenty for Newport to go at, uncertainty and probably fatigued threatened to derail their efforts. A turnover lineout and further missed pass encouraged Shrewsbury to bully Newport toward submission. However, Taylor’s forty-yard spree, gaining huge territory, reinvigorated Newport. Chris Lindsey asserted control at Newport’s lineout, Smith found Taylor who in turn invited Ollie Chambers to dash over, earning Newport a bonus point and a losing point.
With a makeshift squad against a strong, organised Shrewsbury, to come away with two points can only be seen as a huge positive for Newport Second XV. However, most importantly, their promising attacking performance in the second half should build belief and confidence. Indeed, in retrospect, their battling first-half determination to keep themselves in the game and provide a platform to build their second-half should not be under-estimated.
| First half | Second Half |
| Tries Rob Taylor | Tries Billy Parry Ed Udale Ollie Chambers |
| Conversions Kyle Smith 0/1 | Conversions Kyle Smith 1/2 Jack Charnock 1/1 |