NEWPORT'S Konica Minolta Cup dream and effectively their whole season came to an end at Llynfi Road on Saturday as they were dumped out in the quarter-finals by Maesteg's Dad's Army.

"They don't like it up 'em" was one of Corporal Jones' oft-heard cries in that famous TV series, and Newport certainly didn't as Maesteg tackled and bullied them into submission, led by old hands John Devereux, Kevin Ellis and the Boobyer brothers, Ian and Roddy.

Devereux celebrated his 40th birthday two days beforehand with a two-try official man-of-the-match performance in his first game this season after another knee operation.

The former British Lions and Wales rugby union centre and British rugby league international's scores may only have been from a few yards, but his tackling and control of the three-quarters was crucial.

Ellis, another dual-code ex-international, was also a massive presence, controlling things at the base of the scrum and worrying Newport with his sniping runs - yet he is even older than Devereux at 41.

But for me the Old Parish star was skipper Ian Boobyer, the former Llanelli flanker, who was in the thick of everything and as usual got away with murder with his ability to disrupt in maul and ruck and win ball on the ground.

It was astonishing how Newport, after dominating the opening quarter to lead 8-0, melted away and were totally unable to regain any ascendancy in the heavy ground.

And this despite Maesteg being without half a dozen regular first-teamers, who were at the wedding of utility back Neil Dixon.

In front of an excellent crowd of mainly their own supporters, a strong-looking Newport side dominated the opening exchanges and took a fourth-minute lead.

Outside-half Dan Griffiths kicked a penalty to touch, lock Matthew Veater was driven to the line from the lineout, and the ball was worked along the threequarters for right wing Rhys Shorney easily to touch down despite an awkward, bouncing pass.

Twelve minutes more of Newport pressure enabled Griffiths to make it 8-0 with a penalty in front of the posts and it looked almost too easy.

But in the 20th minute Maesteg themselves drove from a lineout on the Newport 22 to within five metres of the line and Ellis put Devereux over for a try that outside-half Stuart Morris converted.

Thereafter it was all Maesteg and four times in ten minutes they might have scored again, once held over the line and another time denied when a touchjudge ruled the Newport defence had beaten Devereux to the touchdown after a quickly taken tap penalty by Ellis had almost caught them napping.

The tide had turned, close driving play around the fringes tying Newport into a tight game, and it was no surprise when Devereaux scored his second try from a training-ground move, Roddy Boobyer moving in to scrum-half to provide Ellis, who in turn fed Devereux the scoring pass.

Newport annihilated Maesteg at the lineout and had almost twice as many penalties, but the home side still got away with numerous offside infringements in the mauls while managing too large a number of turnovers.

Newport also dropped the ball far too often, so could seldom escape the home side's stranglehold and when they did try to run they lacked ideas and pace on the gluepot pitch.

Their last chance to regain command was in the first ten minutes of the second half, but they were driven back as they tried to get over from close range and thereafter never threatened.

Morris added 55th- and 66th-minute penalties, and two minutes from time former Newport lock Paul Jones was driven over for Morris to convert and seal Maesteg's march into only their second cup semi-final.

Maesteg: L Warner, A Hutchings, R Boobyer, J Devereux, J Dixon, S Morris, K Ellis (R Morgan 79min), G Edwards (A Healey 78min), L Williams (G Thomas 70min), S Tremlett (C Hopkins 78min), G Ronan (A Peever 78min), P Jones, M Sainsbury, I Boobyer, G Bartlett. Scorers: tries: Devereux (2), Jones; conversions: Morris (3); penalties: Morris (2).

Newport: A Thomas, R Shorney, J Rowles (J Taylor 61min), R Payne, W Kershaw-Naylor, D Griffiths, M Thomas (G Crothers 70min), D Pattison (I Evans 66min), A Brown (R James 78min), G Robinson (P Osbourne 79min), M Workman, M Veater (N Watkins 78min), S Waldron (R Dale 78min), P Williams, R Jones. Scorers: try - Shorney; penalty - Griffiths.

- Other Konica Minolta Cup results: Cardiff 10 Llandovery 0; Pontypridd 28 Builth Wells 15; Swansea 13 Neath 33.