Newport 22 Luton 30Luton’s director of rugby, Denis Ormesher, criticised his team’s opening 40 minutes but they managed to put it behind them to do the double over Newport this season and take the bonus point.
Denis Ormesher
“Our first half performance was poor,” he said. “Newport looked the better side to start with and certainly looked as if they wanted the win more than we did.
“We upped our game well in the second half, but with the game won, and the bonus point in the bag, we then made some poor decisions in the last 15 minutes and nearly allowed Newport to get back in the game.
“We need to be much more streetwise and learn how to control a game when it is won.”
Luton took an early lead when a good break by flanker Mike Weston was finished by Matt Allen.
Newport struck back when they caught the Luton defence napping with a peel around the front of a lineout for Omar Suleiman to score in the corner.
Newport began to run everything at Luton with centres Tomasi Tanumi and Rob Clymer always looking dangerous. It was clear that Newport were determined to avenge the November defeat by Luton, whilst Luton looked half asleep for the most of the first period.
Luton flanker Nick Stevens was yellow carded for offside but the visitors attacked the Newport line and from a lineout on the 22 fly-half Chris Meehan went over for a try under the posts, converted by full back Mark Kohler.
A penalty on the half way line saw Newport strike back when fly-half James Curgenven took a quick tap and waltzed through the entire Luton team without a finger being laid on him. Clymer converted and took the score to 12-12.
Kohler gave Luton the lead back when he slotted a good penalty just before half time.
After some hard talking at half time Luton began to play some rugby in the second half but it was the hosts who were first to score when Clymer levelled the scores with a penalty after five minutes.
Two minutes later Curgenven was lucky to get away with a only yellow card when he dump tackled scrum half Mark Smith, who had to leave the pitch with a back injury. Kohler kicked the penalty.
Luton raised the tempo and scored a good driven try from Weston and Newport began to infringe more and more in an attempt to stop Luton who let them off the hook with a succession of missed penalty kicks.
Winger Sam Egerton was then next to go to the sin bin for a trip.
Flanker Nick Stevens, now playing at scrum half scored a good try for Luton, which Kohler converted to put Luton 15 points ahead with a quarter of an hour to go.
Luton tried to force the game and made some poor decisions which gave Newport field position and they fought back and charged down a kick for scrum half Ben Warrilow to score under the posts, Clymer converted and took the score to 30–22.
Newport were unluckly not to get the losing bonus point when they broke away with the last play of the game only to knock on with the line at their mercy.
Luton: 1. Mike Posthumus, 2. Andy Lake, 3. Joe Lynch, 4. Pat Nelly, 5. Laurence Alden, 6. Mike Weston, 7. Nick Stevens, 8. Matt Berryman; 9. Mark Smith, 10. Chris Meehan; 11. Rob Wasterfall, 12. Matt Allen (capt), 13. Lee Anker, 14. Scott Hills; 15. Mark Kohler: Subs; Michael Ormesher, Tony Begovich, John Robinson.