DAVID Rees flew out to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with the Wales Sevens squad yesterday, but not before blasting his Newport players for an inadequate display at Bridgend.

The Newport boss was left frustrated by a performance which saw the Black and Ambers out-played by five tries to one.

"That was probably one of our worst performances of the season - I thought we were shapeless in defence and attack. Bridgend caught us sleeping," insisted Rees.

"I don't know whether the players thought the game was going to be frozen off, but our mental approach was not there. It was as though we just did not turn up.

"Take nothing away from Bridgend, I thought they played exceptionally well and exploited that.

"I've told the players that we now have to tuck this performance aside. We have had some good performances recently and that was just a really bad day at the office."

Newport's day was not helped by the fact that they have probably lost lock Matthew Veater for the rest of the season with a fractured eye socket, caused by an alleged stray punch.

Afterwards Newport confirmed that they would be reviewing the video and that Veater, who was put out of the game after only 18 minutes, was intent on taking it further.

The injury happened after Newport had already been put on the back foot with Bridgend scorching into a 14-7 lead after only 13 minutes.

They were hit by two well- taken tries by Bridgend skipper Mike Powell and wing Richard Radford, scores that were sandwiched by Newport's only five-pointer of the contest.

And that came from a Bridgend attack, when Gareth Chapman picked off a floated Leighton Thomas pass and ran in unopposed from 60 metres out.

After that it was almost all Bridgend, who missed a couple of chances early in the second half to put the game to bed.

But the home side completely dominated the final quarter, which began with centre Roger Davies scoring his team's third try.

And just like Newbridge's world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe, Bridgend saved their best shots for the dying moments.

In the space of three minutes at the end wing Ryan Howells followed flanker Adam Whitney over to give Bridgend a deserved 24-point winning margin.

Bridgend: G David, R Howells, R Davies, L Thomas, R Radford, M David, N Griffiths, C Voisey, I Dobbs (A Joy 67), R Jones (G Alexander 72), H Alford, M Powell (capt), G Williams (M Thomas 67), A Williams, A Whitney. Scorers: tries - M Powell, R Radford, R Davies, A Whitney, R Howells; pen - G David; cons - G David (3).

Newport: R Williams (R Payne 53), G Chapman, J Rowles, R Shorney (capt), R Fussell, D Mason, A Walker (M Thomas 45), I Evans (I Patterson 45), A Brown, G Robinson, M Workwan, M Veater (C Powell 18), S Waldron (R Dale 72), R Jones, C Davies. Scorers: try - G Chapman; pen - G Daniel; con - G Daniel.

Referee: Jonathan Mason (Swansea)