NEWPORT are no longer in control of their Premiership title destiny after a defeat to Merthyr at Spytty Park.

The Black and Ambers were closing in on top spot until a last-gasp defeat to RGC on Sunday and a 34-22 loss to the Ironmen.

Three-try Newport threw everything at Merthyr in a bid for a remarkable comeback, playing with pace but lacking a little precision.

However, it was a pointless evening on home soil when a pair of bonuses would have kept them in control. It’s now Cardiff that are favourites for the title.

If they win their final three games against Swansea, Pontypridd and Merthyr with bonuses then there will be blue and black ribbons on the trophy.

Aberavon are also right in the mix with four fixtures to play while Ponty have a mathematical chance.

Injury-hit Newport now shift their focus to their Premiership Cup final against the Wizards on Sunday, April 24 and travel to Carmarthen Quins a week later, hoping that they still have a shot at the title.

They need other clubs to show the same sort of appetite for being party-poopers as physical and abrasive Merthyr, who certainly weren’t a side counting down the days until hitting the beach.

The Ironmen hit the front and then used every trick in the book to slow the game down and stop Newport building up a head of steam.

Merthyr squandered an early opportunity when wing Sam Jones failed to gather a kick through on the tryline but the winger was on hand to get the opener from close range after 12 minutes.

Cameron Lewis’ pass in midfield was snaffled by centre Tom Pascoe and it resulted in a score, despite the scrambling effort of Matt O’Brien. Gareth Thompson converted.

Newport settled for cutting the lead through the left boot of fly-half O’Brien when Merthyr’s defence stood up well to a spell of pressure and then the hosts hit the front in the 23rd minute.

An attack seemed to be going nowhere until centre Lewis cut a lovely line off O’Brien before stepping the last man, an excellent finish for a try that his skipper converted.

It remained 10-7 approaching half-time with Merthyr edging the territorial battle.

Thompson failed with a long-range penalty effort but then pinned the hosts deep in their half with a wonderful penalty to the corner.

The forwards stood up to the challenge but the ball was worked wide for full-back Alex Webber to put over Jones with a wonderful offload.

Thompson converted for a 14-10 lead and promptly made it 21-10 when flanker Massa Tutaia carried hard and offloaded for lock Craig Locke to cross by the posts.

Pascoe was yellow-carded on the stroke of half-time for a high tackle on full-back Ioan Davies but one last Newport attack, after the loss of Dragons flanker Lennon Greggains to injury, failed to cut the gap.

Merthyr struck first in the second half when Thompson boomed over a long-range penalty.

Newport were in need of something special and got it with a cracker in the 54th minute, wing Will Talbot-Davies making an immediate impression off the bench to finish off a move featuring steps and offloads by the midfield duo of Lewis and Daf Smith.

The Black and Ambers were back in it… but Merthyr promptly struck back with their bonus point try, Ash Norton worked down the left and Thompson converting for 31-17.

Newport had a quarter of the game to conjure a miracle but instead the visiting fly-half boomed over another long-distance penalty to make it a three-score game.

But the hosts didn’t wave the white flag and pressure in the 22 paid off when centre Lewis battered his way over for his second to make it 34-22.

Merthyr were out on their feet but the clock wasn’t Newport’s friend in their hunt for at least a pair of bonuses to stay in control of their title fate.

Chances in the 22 went begging, the Black and Ambers need favours in their bid for a double.