NEWPORT recaptured third spot in the Welsh Premier Division table and ended a Pontypridd nine-match winning run with what coach David Rees described as "a thoroughly professional" performance at Rodney Parade last night.

The constant whistle of referee Richard Rees, who awarded 31 penalties on my count, 18 in the first half and a majority of 3-2 against Newport, ensured the game was never a classic.

But it was full of intensity with both sides all out to win, hardly surprising in view of their recent records and the fact that rival coaches Rees and Simon King worked together at Cross Keys last season. That Newport did win was due to a fierce and well-organised defence that restricted a Pontypridd side which included Cardiff Blues starlet Lee Thomas, to only two try-scoring chances, some fine patches of play which produced three tries, and some outstanding individual performances.

In the latter respect, half backs James Ireland and Daniel Griffiths were excellent, centre Richard Payne a threat with bulldozing runs and lock Matthew Veater, flanker Nick Kelly and number eight Rhys Jones dynamic and hard-working . Kelly was unlucky to be yellow-carded just before half time with his team leading 11-3 when Mr Rees punished him for a technical offence on the 17th penalty of the half when action ought to have been taken much earlier.

But Newport's response was to take four lineouts in a row on the Pontypridd throw to nullify the disadvantage. Sam Waldron was rightly yellow-carded in injury-time while Pontypridd lock Grant Harrington was also correctly sent off in the 52nd minute on the instigation of a touch judge for kicking a prostrate Newport player, though it was not vicious.

Newport were 16-3 up at the time and should have added more with a man advantage than just replacement scrum half Grant Hall's 75th-minute touchdown, but they were always in control.

After a fourth minute Griffiths penalty, Newport put another penalty to touch and from the lineout drove the maul 18 metres for Waldron to get the try.

A Dai Flanagan penalty for Pontypridd and another by Griffiths made it 11-3 at the interval before the best move of the game brought a 47th-minute try for full back James Rowles.

Darren Davies won a lineout and in a sweeping handling movement Kieran Crawford and Kelly both offloaded superbly to help send Rowles over before Hall's try wrapped up an excellent evening for the fans who braved the icy cold, especially in view of second-placed Llanelli's shock defeat by Caerphilly.

"It was a very professional performance," said Rees. "I went to watch Pontypridd last week and they are a good outfit.

"It was patchy and there were a lot of penalties, but we scored a couple of nice tries with good continuity and I was pleased with the intensity and the fact we put them under enormous pressure."

Newport: J Rowles, G Chapman, R Payne, R Shorney, W Kershaw-Naylor, D Griffiths, J Ireland (G Hall 71min), I Evans (D Pattison 60min), K Crawford (A Brown 77min), G Robinson (G Mason 77min), D Davies (P Williams 65min), M Veater, N Kelly, S Waldron, R Jones.

Scorers: tries: Waldron, Rowles, Hall; penalties: Griffiths (2).

Pontypridd: J Pocock, D Berry, J Lewis (D Lockyear 77min), L Thomas, J Thomas, D Flanagan, C Thomas, S Williams, B Phillips (S Goddard 79min), G Liddon (G Cox 67min), D McIntosh, G Harrington, M Lewis, W O'Connor (C Martenko 77min), D Godfrey (R Shellard 67min).

Scorers: penalty: Flanagan.