THERE was no winning start to the New Year for RGC to celebrate in the Welsh Premiership.

The North Walians were unable to deal with the Newport attacking maul in the second half at Bedwas as the black-and-ambers ran out 20-10 winners.

Conditions meant the game was one of kicking and an arm wrestle in the middle of the pitch and it was the home side who won it.

Sam Rogers looked to open the scoring with a penalty early on for RGC, but this went wide.

Both sided tested each other with some high balls and credit must go to the players who kept on plucking the ball from the sky.

Matt O’Brien had a chance to give Newport the lead and he was on target with the penalty.

The rain continued to come down and so did the scrum, as the pace of the game slowed in the downpour.

RGC were being pinned back with kicks and couldn’t get out their own half as the pressure built towards the half-hour mark.

Ben Moa, on his debut, sparked his side into life with a break and RGC built some phases in the Newport 22.

Ethan Fackrell charged down a kick and looked on to score a try before he was tackled off the ball.

A penalty try was awarded and O’Brien was yellow carded for Newport as a result.

RGC upped the tempo and Harri Evans was next with a kick charge down after a good kick chase and the half ended with the Gogs leading 7-3.

A couple of minutes into the second half and Rogers slotted a penalty to extend the lead.

The pitch began to get heavier and the Newport pack started to crank up.

The home side took the lead with a driving maul before Harri Evans was yellow carded and then minutes later Rhys Jenkins got another try from another attacking maul.

Newport were winning the majority of the collisions and they were being rewarded at key times.

Delwyn Jones worked some space on a couple of occasions as the Gogs looked to work some attacks and make some attacking inroads.

Much of the game was again swapping kicks, as both sides looked to force errors.

RGC couldn’t build much momentum and the game was interrupted with a few scrum resets which didn’t help the pace of the contest.

Newport extended the lead from the dominant attacking maul and RGC were again down to 14 men when Jessie Williams was yellow carded.

RGC tried to get some points on the board as the clock ticked down, but they couldn’t work their way to the line.

Sam Rogers chased his own kick with a charge down but like much of the half, the ball fell to Newport hands and they were able to deal with it and clear the danger.