A BLISTERING 20-yard drive by Newtown midfielder Danny Desormeaux helped the Robins fly higher than the Crows and end their run of six successive defeats in the Welsh Premier League.

The loss heaps more misery on Cwmbran, who've now taken only two points from the last 21 on offer, and in all honesty they simply didn't look like scoring throughout this often scrappy affair.

They did create two half- chances, central defender Michael Binning failing to find the target with a far-post header at a first-half corner, and skipper Simon Heal firing wide when well placed towards the end.

In fact, visiting goalkeeper Steven Jones, standing in for injured number one John Rowley, only had one on-target effort to deal with, an early Binning header which was directed straight at home with little power.

Having said that, his opposite number, debutant Richard Lancaster, who came in for the suspended Gareth Wesson, wasn't much busier, although he did have to make a smart save to deny Samuel Pickup from giving the visitors an early lead.

In a game lacking quality on a pitch which is now a shadow of its once-magnificent self, Desormeaux fired past Lancaster after Cwmbran's defence had blocked a couple of long-range 19th-minute efforts.

By that stage Newtown had already missed a couple of good opportunities as Cwmbran began as if they were in for a repeat of the 7-1 home mauling by Rhyl two weeks ago.

So from that point of view this was certainly a far better defensive display from the Crows. However, there simply wasn't enough creative play from the midfielders to give strikers Kristian Hanbury and Rhys Griffiths any ammunition to fire.

What spoiled this more than anything for the home supporters was the ease with which their team gave away possession time and again through unforced errors.

Besides Lancaster, signed recently from Welsh League Division One outfit Caerleon, Cwmbran also gave a first-team debut to left-back Gareth Wysom, who was promoted from the club's highly successful under-21 side.

Like Lancaster, Wysom had a satisfactory bow to this level of football, and it's extremely encouraging that the club has many players of his ilk either coming through the ranks or having already made the breakthrough.

The trick now is for the Crows to accumulate enough points to ensure survival for this season because the foundations of a half-decent side are there.

* Cwmbran return to action on Saturday, when they travel north to face fellow strugglers Caernarfon Town. Transport leaves the clubhouse in Old Cwmbran at 8am.

Cwmbran Town: R Lancaster, T Green, G Wysom, N Ward, M Binning, Z Misbah, S Heal (c), M Phillips (D Clare 74), R Carpenter, K Hanbury, J Edwards. Subs not used: J Davies, L Fernquest, D Tipping. Booked: Ward (31), Edwards (85).

Newtown: S Jones, C Williams, D Daniels, A Hooley, M Giles, A Moody (c), M Lewis (L Davies 90), D Desormeaux, P Smith (Watkins 28), Pickup (Barton 73), Ryan. Subs not used: G Evans. Booked: Ryan (60), Williams (78).

Referee: M Petch (North Wales).