Monday 6 October 2025 09:31
Newport returned to the top of Midlands 1 with this impressive and convincing win over another local rival. True, the visitors are in a period of transition and fought ferociously from start to finish but in the end were simply outclassed.
Skipper Ricky Bailey made his first start of the season following a troublesome calf injury and will be well pleased with the outcome on his 100th appearance for the club. Charlie Gamble returned on the wing, George Perkins injury last time out saw another first starter in Will Galbraith who performed admirably throughout whilst Callum Bradbury’s suspension created the opening for John Tuia to return to the side after a minor injury. Sam Gibson, Oli Bird and Jake Reynolds took places on the bench.
A gale force wind blew down the slope for most of the game and it was DK who were given the opportunity to see if they could make it count in the first half but they couldn’t have had a worse start when strong carries from Galbraith (twice), Bailey and Uluaki Kale created the position for Billy Dinning to dive in at the left hand corner with only four minutes played.
DK had hardly touched the ball at this stage and when Newport set up camp in the visitor’s twenty-two a series of repeat penalties saw them take the scrum option every time creating enough pressure for Tuia to peel off the back of an advancing scrum to cross by the posts, Benny Elliot converted and the hosts led 12 – 0 after eleven minutes.
A defining factor of the day was Newport’s complete dominance at the set piece where the experienced James Tideswell, Mike Adams and Tom Clarke should take a lot of the credit for providing the platform from which Newport could play their expansive and natural game.
As the visitors started to see more of the ball Jack Ingram was then sent to the sin-bin and Will Hancox drove over after a number of phases after the resultant penalty, Joe Dunn added the conversion to reduce the arrears to 12 – 7 after nineteen minutes.
Newport continued to try and play out from their own twenty-two and whilst the ball retention was generally excellent a knock-on gave the visitors an attacking scrum which, with Newport a man down, they managed to work space on the right for Adam Dainty to squeeze over in the corner to tie things up at 12 – 12 with twenty-six minutes played. Elliot Dolphin was pulled up for an offence and sent to join Ingram in the bin which saw Newport down to thirteen. DK then kicked it dead from their own twenty-two clearly demonstrating just how strong this wind actually was. There were then a series of repeat penalties against the visitors at scrum time eventually seeing Kieron Williams sent for a ten-minute rest. Kale then had the ball knocked from his grasp going over but at the next advancing scrum Chris Taylor controlled it at the base and was driven over, Elliot converting to make it 19 – 12 at the break despite having the elements against them.
Newport then scored forty-three unanswered points in the second period in what was generally one-way traffic. Dinning made a huge clearance and with a great chase nailed the defender trying to run from his own twenty-two and won a turnover penalty.
Back to their full complement Newport again drove DK back at scrum time where Dolphin caused havoc in the visiting defence, popping the ball to Charlie Pugh on a great line to score under the posts for the bonus point try and with Elliot’s simple conversion the scoreboard read 26 – 12 in Newport’s favour after forty-five minutes.
Desperation was beginning to set in for the visitors and a rather futile attempt to chip over the defence saw Dinning collect the ball and spin out of the tackle on half-way to race fifty-metres down the wing and round the cover to score beneath the posts for a fine individual try, Elliot again converting for 33 – 12.
Simpson had by now replaced Tideswell and after Elliot put a superb penalty to within seven metres of the DK line where a well-practiced line out routine saw Adams peel round the short side to cross for Newport’s sixth try, difficult conversion missed but Newport were now stretching out of sight at 38 – 12 with a full twenty-seven minutes still to play.
Bird replaced Clarke and Reynolds came on in place of Elliot. Visiting substitute Ricardo Bennett was then sin-binned for a high tackle evening up the yellow card contest for the day at 2 – 2!
Matt Hubbart, sporting an immaculate new haircut, then drove over from short range after a number a well-controlled tight phases, Ingram converting to stretch the lead to 45 – 12 with fifty-eight minutes gone. Another chip over went straight to Ingram who collected and fed Dinning who streaked his way into the visitors twenty-two before handing on to Dolphin who weaved his way over, Ingram again adding the extras taking Port beyond the fifty mark at 52 – 12 with sixty-three minutes played.
There was still time for more, Bird was driven over after Dinning put a penalty to within five on sixty-nine minutes and Kale finished things off with the tenth try, crashing over after multiple phases. Both conversions were missed but Newport had put in an extremely convincing eighty minutes in difficult conditions to finish off 62 – 12 victors.
Yes, there will be tougher tests to come but such performances can only add confidence and momentum for what could be a very exciting season. Early days of course and a tough test will no doubt lie ahead when they visit Lichfield, who have made a promising return to this level, next Saturday.