photo by Mark Harris

Newport Titans powered through to a home tie in the Welsh Premier Semi-Finals with a hard fought 14-6 playoff win over Cardiff, breaking a sequence of three straight defeats by the Demons and avenging a playoff loss back in 2004.

Newport had the lion’s share of the attacking in the opening exchanges and were rewarded with classy try from winger Lewis Culverwell after 19 minutes. But the Titans surrendered the initiative and Cardiff began to threaten the Newport line, with Lee Drabble and Miles Davies both being stopped just short. Finally, moments before the half time whistle loose forward Lawrence Roycroft found a gap for Andrew Bradshaw who

touched down under the posts. A conversion by Gareth Jones, the man whose late try had won the 2004 playoff tie, was enough to send the Demons into the break with a 6-4 advantage.

In a second half war of attrition both clubs looked for a crucial second try and it was Newport’s Scott Bessant who made the breakthrough on 59 minutes when he went in at the corner. A second missed conversion left the Titans protecting a slender two point lead, and Cardiff again ramped up the pressure in search of a winner. James Thatcher had a chance on 69 minutes when he appeared to be in the clear and Gareth Jones came the closest of all when his 74th minute dive for the line was stopped inches short.

With time running out it was left to Newport’s Chris Vitilani to score the decider, a power run from two metres out. Lloyd White added the conversion from the touch line to take the Titans lead to eight and leave no way back for the Demons.

article by Simon Davies
21 July 2007