NEWPORT deservedly took the spoils in a dogged affair with Bridgend - but there needs to be a marked improvement if the Black and Ambers are to climb to where they believe they belong in the table.

They struggled to break down a determined Ravens side, were ponderous at the breakdown and wasteful when presented with opportunities inside the 22.

The Rodney Parade faithful should really have had a tension-free end to the game, such was their side's territorial dominance in the closing stages against a visiting side that looked out on their feet after giving their all.

But instead Newport were forced to defend their four-point lead, albeit with Bridgend some distance from their line.

However, it was far from all doom and gloom - flanker Richard Field was excellent and showed his experience to be in the right place at the right time, while Nick Wakley produced his best display of the campaign with some cracking breaks.

Both sides took their time to get into the game in damp conditions and the Argentinian way seemed the best tactics early on - put some air on the ball and test out the opposition full back.

Newport outside-half Dan Griffiths helped himself to a pair of penalties inside the first 12 minutes and all seemed to be going to plan, but the hosts paid the price for switching off with a quarter of the game gone.

They conceded a free kick at a scrum 30 yards from their own line and Bridgend acted quickly to burst into their 22 with scrum-half Jonny Hooper and then back- rowers Jonathan Jones and Gareth Williams setting up a simple score for Dan Connolly, though a sloppy final pass did make it harder work for the wing than it should have been.

Gareth David kicked the Ravens into the lead and their ambitious play could have been rewarded with it being stretched on 28 minutes.

Centre Geoff Hobbs made a break inside his own half and off-loaded smartly to Mark David, who shipped on to prop Ryan Bevington only for Newport to drag him down five yards shy of the line.

Referee Nigel Whitehouse, who had an excellent game, sin-binned props Ian Evans and Rhodri Jones on 31 minutes after his frequent warnings about scrummaging fell on deaf cauliflower ears and the hosts adapted to life with 14 men better.

A steal by Mark Workman deep inside the Bridgend 22 presented a glorious chance to regain the lead just before the break, but ponderous play from scrum-half Matthew Thomas, whose lack of sharpness can be attributed to his lack of starts, and a knock-on by Wakley at the base of a ruck meant great field position was wasted.

However, Newport were back in front shortly after the restart and it was thanks to their front row.

A Bridgend line-out went awry, something that happened frequently in the second half, and straight to Matthew Veater, who charged towards the line. It didn't look like the defenders fancied taking on the rampaging lock, but three of them did eventually manage to hold him up over the line.

And from the resulting scrum the Bridgend front row popped up as the drive came on, leaving Whitehouse with no option but to award a penalty try.

Griffiths went past 1,100 points for Newport with the conversion, but minutes later Whitehouse was once again to the fore and once again had no option but to award yellow cards to hookers Andrew Brown and Ieuan Dobbs for fighting.

With Brown in the sin bin prop Gethin Robinson was forced to throw into the line-outs, his no-frills approach meant a long throw to the back was never an option, and the sense of chaos was mirrored by a slapstick second try for Bridgend.

Newport had been on the attack when lock Mike Powell charged down a grubber kick and raced up field, he kicked as the cover caught up with him and it seemed the danger would be snuffed out.

But a deceptive bounce allowed Hobbs to hack on, and after Connolly was dragged down short, flanker Ioan Cunningham crossed in the corner.

Griffiths settled the nerves with a penalty on 57 minutes after Wakley was poleaxed by a high tackle that saw Williams yellow-carded, but the frustration continued for Newport.

Several steals in the line-out by Veater were wasted and replacement scrum-half Alex Walker, who increased the urgency around the breakdown, was held up over the line.

But the hosts kept Bridgend pinned back in their own half and held on for their third home win on the bounce.

Newport: L Hathaway, M Poole (M Hook 53), N Wakley, S Williams (captain), W Kershaw-Naylor, D Griffiths, M Thomas (A Walker 63), I Evans (D Pattison 6 3), A Brown, G Robinson, M Workman, M Veater, R Field (D Pattison 31-40, M Leaman 56-9, T Organ 71), C Hill, L Evans.

Scorers: Try - penalty; conversion - Griffiths; penalties - Griffiths (3).

Bridgend: G David (captain), R Radford, G Hobbs, P Smith (G Howells 63), D Connolly, M David (G Knox 69), J Hooper, R Bevington (R Jones 79), I Dobbs, R Jones (L Davies 69), N White (K Maiden 69), M Powell, I Cunningham (L Davies 31-40, S Baldwin 56-9, R Pitman 75), J Jones, G Williams.

Scorers: Tries - Connolly, Cunningham; conversion - G David.

Referee: N Whitehouse.