HEAD coach Sven Cronk seized on the positives after Newport saw the game slip away 29-21 late on against champions Neath at The Gnoll.

The Black and Ambers have only won twice in 26 years at one of their bogey grounds, and the class of 2008 went close to joining a select band.

A 25-23 success during the 1994/95 campaign was followed seven years on by a 19-11 victory.

And this latest encounter between the only two sides to lift the semi-professional title eventually proved a good advertisement for the game at club level.

“In the past Newport have failed to get into games at Neath, but that was certainly not the case this time around,” explained Cronk.

He went on: “It was just disappointing to get so close, but make no mistake, we will take plenty of belief into our next game at home to Swansea.

“In the end we allowed far too many chances slip away, and against Neath you simply have to make them count.’’ While Cronk saluted a man-of-the-match display from captain and No 8 Andrew Coombs, he felt yellow cards surrounding back- row forwards Craig Hill and Daniel McShane were harsh.

“The television pundits felt Andrew Coombs was man of the match – and I have to agree with their choice,” he continued.

“But the binning late on of our two players – for none too obvious reasons – made Neath’s task that much easier.

“We were also hampered by centre Tom Riley playing with a damaged ankle during the last quarter of an hour.

“He had to stay on, as all the replacements in the back division had been made, and ultimately these setbacks cost us the game.’’ By Cronk’s own admission it took Newport 32 minutes to wake up, and when they did they registered the game’s opening try.

With Neath 9-3 to the good, the Black and Ambers placed the home try-line under sustained pressure and received the put in at a scrum five.

Captain Coombs came off the scrum to drive over for a try that fly-half Jason Tovey failed to convert.

It resulted in Neath leading 9-8 at the changeover with former Wales fly-half Arwel Thomas and opposite number Tovey trading penalties on the resumption.

But an old Neath lineout ploy in the 52nd minute caught Newport cold. Captain and No 8 Lee Beach seized lineout ball to send Kiwi scrum-half Kevin Farrell, who only signed earlier in the week from Counties Manakau, for the touchdown.

Thomas converted, making it 19-11, but by the hour mark the Black and Ambers were back on terms.

Replacement fly-half Daniel Griffiths landed a penalty, quickly followed by a well-crafted try.

A line break from centre Scott Williams was complemented by a deft diagonal kick that caught Neath out.

The ball sat up kindly for wing Michael Poole, who snapped up a fifth league try of the season – and a 17th when touchdowns for his former club, Pontypool, enter the equation.

However, Griffiths just failed to convert, and he also missed out with penalty attempts in the 71st and 73rd minutes.

These misses, allied to those of Tovey during the first half, cost Newport 13 points, and were in stark contrast to six seasons ago.

On that occasion, Shane Howarth landed four penalties and converted a try from Emyr Lewis as Newport triumphed 19-11.

The yellow-carding of both Hill and McShane then left the stage clear for Neath to come late to take the spoils.

Fly-half Thomas gave Neath the lead back via a 77th-minute penalty, while soon after Newport replacement full-back Michael Burke failed to find touch.

Ex-Newport man Gareth King ran the ball back, and linked with flanker James Merriman to send Wales Under-21 lock Haydn Pugh over for the try that sealed victory.

Though Newport surrendered an unbeaten tag, they will be looking to turn the tables on their old rivals during the February 28 rematch.

Neath: M Nuthall; K James (G James 82 mins), D Lockyer, G King, D Evans; A Thomas (M Jarvis 82), K Farrell; N Downs, G Price (A Littlehales 65), M Jones (C Mitchell 61), E Evans (N Edwards 72), H Pugh, J Bowd (L Evans 61), L. Beach (capt), J. Merriman.

Scorers: Tries – K Farrell, H Pugh; cons: A Thomas (2); pens: A Thomas (5).

Newport: P Jones (M Burke 65); M Poole, T Riley, S Williams, N Williams (D Griffiths 54); J Tovey, A Quick (T Isaacs 59); D Pattison, M Leaman (A Brown 47), A Murphy, M Workman, A Jones, R Dale (D McShane 69), A Coombs (capt), C Hill (M Amos 76).

Scorers: Tries – A Coombs, M Poole; pens: J Tovey (2), D Griffiths.

Yellow cards: C Hill 66, D McShane 76 (both Newport).

Referee: David Bodilly (Cardiff).

Man of the match: Andrew Coombs (Newport).