Newcastle blue: Black and Ambers keep their bottle

Jubilant Newport celebrate a dream come true

NEWPORT won the clash between the English and Welsh cup holders with an absolutely astounding performance on a Heineken Cup night to remember at Kingston Park on Saturday.

And they achieved victory in a way which will cut a swathe through all those who claim the Zurich Premiership is way ahead of the Welsh League, doing it the hard way into the bargain.

After Shane Howarth gave Newport a ninth minute lead with his first penalty, England and British Lions ace Jonny Wilkinson fired over four to give Newcastle a 12-3 lead after just 20 minutes.

It didnt look good, and on top of that Newport had two players yellow carded (Andrew Powell and Ofisa Tonuu) in the second half compared with Newcastles one (James Isaacson) in the first half.

But such is the spirit in the Newport team, so together are they and such was their preparation they left on Thursday, training in Leeds as well as Newcastle that they shrugged it all off.

So superbly did Newport fight back that after those four Wilkinson penalties they scored 31 points with only nine in reply.

Newports new coach Ian McIntosh promised there was a lot to come from the team after defeats at Cardiff and at home to Connacht.

But if anyone had predicted that what would follow would be victories over Neath, Bridgend and Newcastle, all away, he would have been certified.

To dump the English cup holders on their own ground and to score three tries to nil in the process was beyond the wildest dreams.

The game was a triumph for two people in particular, team effort or not, and it was appropriate that McIntosh and Howarth should appear at the post-match press conference together.

McIntosh plotted it all while Howarth executed it in perhaps his finest performance in a Newport jersey.

McIntosh was the one who made the slightly controversial selection at prop, but his policy of getting Ceri Jones and Chris Anthony to blast it from the off, and then for Rod Snow and Adrian Garvey to do the same for the second half paid off.

And Howarth was the controller-in-chief, in charge tactically as he kicked and passed with rare accuracy and put over five penalties and two conversions for a 19 point haul.

Howarths confidence has been knocked by a succession of easy penalty misses, but he had a visit last week and whatever did take place it worked wonders.

Neither McIntosh nor Howarth would reveal a thing other than to say it was advice from someone passing through. He ought to do it more often!

There was, of course, far more to it than McIntosh and Howarth. It was a wonderful team effort as the pack gained control and the backs took their chances.

Three tries resulted, but it could have been more. Andy Marinos neglected to pass to Matt Mostyn outside him with a try on and Jason Forster turned inside and away from the support with another possible.

Two players who stood out for Newport, making valuable contributions to the victory effort were Mike Voyle and Jonathan Pritchard.

Voyle was a dominant force in the line-outs, again a key figure, while Pritchard continues to enjoy his free running role this season.

He got the first try as influential captain Simon Raiwalui charged away from a tap penalty, the ball came back to Howarth who put Anthony away on another charge and then Howarth moved it left where Pritchard claimed the try.

That was after 32 minutes, and just two minutes later with Newcastle attacking, Tom Mays pass was intercepted by Newport full back Matt Pini, who put Matt Mostyn away on a 70-yard sprint for the line.

Howarth converted and added a penalty for an 18-12 interval lead. Thereafter it became a kicking duel between Howarth and Wilkinson as they slotted three apiece, Howarth striking a post with a monster attempt from three yards inside his own half.

At 21-27 it was tight and Newcastle threw everything into one last onslaught, but Newports defence, outstanding throughout, held firm and deep into injury time they struck again.

Full back Dave Walder, under pressure from a Howarth kick, fumbled and when the ball went loose blindside flanker Peter Buxton pounced for the try immediately submerged as half the Newport team leapt on top of him in sheer joy. Howarth landed the conversion, the final whistle went and pandemonium broke out.

The hundreds of Newport fans who made the trek to the north-east were saluted by the Newport team as they ran to their bank.

Newcastle Falcons: D Walder, L Botham (M Stephenson 75), J Noon, T May, I Tuigamala, J Wilkinson, G Armstrong (H Charlton 56), M Ward, C Balshen, J Isaacson, H Vyvyan (D Weir 60), S Grimes, E Taione (J Dunbar 75), P Lam (captain), R Devonshire (R Arnold 46). Scorer: Penalties: Jonny Wilkinson (7).

Newport: M Pini, M Mostyn, A Marinos, J Pritchard, M Watkins, S Howarth, O Tonuu (D Burn 69), C Jones (R Snow 40), J Richards (C Jones 62-66), C Anthony (A Garvey 40), S Raiwalui (capt), M Voyle, P Buxton, A Powell, J Forster (J Powell 77). Scorers: Tries - Jonathan Pritchard, Matt Mostyn, Peter Buxton; conversions: Shane Howarth (2); penalties: Howarth (5).