PONTYPOOL have to put aside all talk of the WRU criteria and how it may affect the Welsh Premier Division relegation issue and simply go out and beat Newport at Pontypool Park on Saturday.

That is the message from coach David Gray whose side, after midweek results, find themselves in the same position tomorrow as they were when defeating Cross Keys last week - bottom of the table.

"The midweek results were unfortunate. I didn't expect the Newport result to be as it was," said Gray.

"But I imagine now it's difficult for mid-table sides because they haven't got the same incentive as sides fighting for their lives at the bottom.

"But Newport are not going to come up the Park and lie down, that's for sure. We beat them in their own back yard (25-6 in November) so I'd imagine they'll have a bit more resilience against us than they had against Maesteg.

"But I won't have to motivate the players for this game and one thing that's certain is that we have to win.

"We played well under pressure to beat Cross Keys and there'll be even more pressure on Saturday. We have to respond with the same enthusiasm and commitment and probably a little bit more on top.

"At the end of the day, no side can rely on criteria. Pontypool are a proud club and want to stay up on merit.

"But we are in a position where we are fighting for survival and not knowing the relegation requirements puts on added pressure because you can't prepare for next year.

"If we stay up we'll be at a disadvantage from the start of next season because everybody will have re-signed the players they want and you end up losing a couple of players because they thought they might not be in the Premier Division.

"But that's the politics side of it and we just have to wait and see."

Pontypool were outstanding when they won at Newport, Gray adding: "The intensity and commitment was there and we played very good, accurate rugby.

"I think that day we had six chances and took them all and it would be nice to do the same on Saturday.

"It's going to be a tough battle up front but the boys have responded really well to the pressure. They've fronted up and they've got to go on doing that for themselves more than anything."

Newport coach David Rees said his side's shock 42-12 loss at Maesteg had not been a case of capitulation.

"We put our bodies on the line and the pack played really well but there was awful decision making again, it was back to brain dead rugby. And we did concede three late tries.

"There were also some critical incidents that turned the game, an interception try when we were on their line and on another occasion we were driving a maul a yard from their line and somehow lost the ball and in frustration we offended and received a yellow card and they scored two tries while Rhys James was in the sin bin.

"But they deserved to win and it's going to be just as tough at Pontypool. They'll be firing on all cylinders because one, it's Newport and two, they're fighting for their lives.

"I just hope we put the same sort of commitment in as 11 or 12 did at Maesteg. It was because of three or four who made poor decisions that we lost heavily and if we do that on Saturday we'll be on the wrong end of the result."

Pontypool have been boosted by the fitness of Lloyd Burns and skipper Gavin Lucas, the former injured in a collision in training which put him out of the Cross Keys match and Lucas injured in the game.

Burns did not fracture an elbow as first feared while Lucas has recovered from a knee problem. Newport may be at almost full strength, locks Matthew Veater (cheek) and Mark Workman (knee) expected to b e fit after injury.

Pontypool: D Smith, N Daniels, A Sliczney, S Williams, M Poole, S Mills, O Jones, N Giles, J Jeune, N Blake, D Rosser, M Amos, P Sergeant, G Donaldson, H Lucas. Replacements: A Quick, G Ferguson, C Jones, N Downes, L Meades, G McCarthy, L Burns. Kick-off 2.30pm.