The ir 44-21 victory now means that a win at Swansea on 15 March will be enough to cement top spot for the Steelmen and see them through to their first cup final appearance since 1998.
Prop Adam Court, wing Ryan Gardner and skipper Joe Franchi all scored in the first half for Ebbw at Eugene Cross Park, with a penalty try also helping them open up a commanding lead.
Flanker Sion Parry and replacement back rower Lewis Young added further Ebbw tries in the second half. Evan Lloyd kicked their other 12 points.
Centre David Richards and scrum-half Dafydd Buckland scored for Newport, who at one point in the first were down to 13 men with hooker Henry Palmer and captain Ben Roach yellow carded. Jac Lloyd kicked a conversion and three penalties.
This maximum six-point triumph takes Ebbw four points clear of Newport in the pool ahead of their trip to St Helen’s in a fortnight. Newport must now beat Pontypool in their final pool match and will then also need a huge favour from Swansea in order to keep their hopes alive.
“It was really pleasing to get over the line against Newport, especially the way we did as well. We had a bit of worry just after half time, having let Newport into it a bit,” said Ebbw team manager Dan Haymond.
“We then unloaded our bench and managed to get the job done. It was perfect for us in the end taking the six points as well, which was massive.”
The Steelmen still have to get past a Swansea side who will go into that final pool game with a spring in their step after their win at Carmarthen Quins.
And Haymond added Ebbw will be taking nothing for granted despite being huge favourites to reach the final.
“In all the years I’ve been at Ebbw Vale, even when I was playing and when we’ve won down there, it’s never been easy. It’s not an easy place to go St Helen’s – so we’ll give them all the respect they deserve,” added Haymond
Newport must now dust themselves down after a second defeat at Ebbw in as many weeks having lost the league encounter there 20-5 nine days earlier.
“We’re obviously hugely disappointed with the result. Credit to Ebbw Vale – they’ve done a job on our set piece two games in a row and stopped us at source,” said head coach Ty Morris.
“We couldn’t really get anything functioning in our attack and then to concede 44 points is always very hard to take. We’re our own worst enemy at the moment with our inaccuracies.
“I was really pleased with our effort, down to 13 men just before half time; we managed to hold them out and get ourselves back in the game.
“But then unfortunately a couple of missed lineouts, a couple of scrum penalties, and Ebbw did what they do best, and they were accurate in our 22 and finished us off.
“We’ve been struggling with injuries – and they don’t help – but we’re not making any excuses though; we need to be better as a group.”
Scorers: Ebbw Vale: Tries: A Court, R Gardner, Pen Try, J Franchi, S Parry L Young; Cons: E Lloyd 3; Pens: E Lloyd 2. Newport: Tries: D Richards, D Buckland; Con: J Lloyd; Pens: J Lloyd 3
