The only points in a first half played in weather that was kinder to the ducks than it was to the players was a Carwyn Penny penalty that gave the Black & Ambers a 3-0 interval lead. Then came the inevitable decision to abandon the match, which will be replayed at a future date.
“I said to the Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt before the game that the groundsman deserved credit because the itch was in unbelievable condition and it hardly looked as though it had rained,” said Newport head coach Ty Morris.
“But it was the right call in the end. There was standing eater in one corner of the ground, and we have to think about the safety of the players.
“We were second best at the set-piece, which is not something we were happy about, but I did feel we had people who could come off the bench in the second half and make a difference, especially with the wind behind us.”
Among those players was Dragons outside half Will Reed, who graduated into the professional ranks at the region after playing so well for Morris in the Newport side. The two teams are due to meet again in Newport in Round 4 next weekend.
Cardiff will return to the top of the SRC table if they can make it a hat-trick of wins when they head west to Carmarthen Park in Round 3. With table-topping Newport’s game washed out at Aberavon, the Blue & Blacks can overtake them if they can beat the Quins.
“We’re expecting a tough encounter in Carmarthen, and we intend to embrace that. We’ve had two good performances and are looking to continue that this week,” said head coach Dan Fish.
“The competition we are creating in the squad is healthy and all the boys know that they need to play well to keep the shirt.”
While the young guns have stolen the show to date in the wins over RGC and Ebbw Vale, the trip to Carmarthen will be a red-letter day for veteran hooker Alun Rees, who will celebrate his 80th appearance. He provides the semi-pro glue in the squad that gives the young academy players a chance to shine.
“There’s been a good buzz around the place all summer. The boys have all gone to the well on some pretty dark fitness sessions during pre-season, but we’ve come out the other end, and it’s pleasing that we’ve managed to take that hard work out on the field and had two really good results first up,” said Rees.
“I think the bus up to RGC was one of the best things that could have happened to start the season off. We have a lot of young boys and new faces around the team, so it was a good opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and gel – and then to top it off with five points.
“The Quins have made the Park a very difficult place to visit, so we know we will have to perform to get away with anything. We’ve worked on a few things in training, which we will look to implement at the weekend to hopefully help us come away with a result.”
Llandovery face a third game on the road as they wait for their new 4G pitch to be completed. They now have back-to-back games against Ebbw Vale, with next weekend’s clash having the new SRC Shield up for grabs for the first time.
Before then Euros Evans will be hoping his side can avoid successive defeats this season – and at Eugene Cross Park. Having lost at RGC in Round 2, last season’s double-winners can’t afford another slip up.
Bridgend go in search of their first win of the season under new head coach Scott Baldwin when they head to Swansea. The All Whites find themselves propping up the 10-team league at present without a win, while the Ravens have at least picked up three points in their defeats against Newport and Pontypool.
RGC host Pontypool in the other game, with the Gogs looking to make it back-to-back wins following their triumph over the Drovers Last weekend.
