Cardiff and Newport set off the fireworks at the Arms Park in a fire cracker of a game that had plenty of sparkle.
It started with a bang. The Blue & Blacks kicked off, the Black and Ambers cleared to just beyond half way where Theo Cabango collected the ball. In a flash he had spotted space on the other side of the pitch and his pace was enough to get him into the open and round the defence to score a try that late comers may have missed, Jacob Beetham converted.
The home side doubled that lead a few minutes later. This time Dan Fish and Beetham were the creators, both beating the first man before off-loading, Tom Hoppe the recipient of the resulting scoring pass. Beetham again was on target with the conversion. Newport hadn’t spent too much time in the home sides half, but when they did they made the most of it. A catch and drive penalty was stopped just short but centre Jack Wright drove over form short range. Matt O’Brien add the extras and he was to level the scores from a similar situation on the Black and Ambers next visit to the Cardiff twenty-two.
With the fireworks booming overhead it was Beetham slotted a penalty early in the second half to push Cardiff back in front. But O’Brien again crossed the whitewash for Newport and added the extras. The game was swinging back and forth and the Blue & Blacks grabbed the lead again after a Newport mistake, Pressure on the defence was pounced on by Hoppe and Beetham was able to score in the corner. Beetham extended the lead with a penalty with time running down. But it wasn’t to be enough and Newport attacked the home line, eventually it broke and Viliame Kotobalavu crashed over, Cardiff did have one last throw of the dice as Newport infringed several times but the ball was spilled and the Black and Ambers happily launched it into the stand.