NEWPORT Gwent Dragons' hopes of sneaking into the semi-finals of the Anglo-Welsh Cup were ended by Newcastle Falcons in a 68-minute game played in embarrassingly horrendous conditions at Rodney Parade.

The Falcons took the spoils 18-6 in a farcical game that really should not have been played.

Referee Gareth John, who had taken over with the whistle after starting as touch judge, made the correct call to call it a day with 12 minutes left with the scoreline standing. Frankly it shouldn't have kicked off.

Were it a game that mattered to the visitors then one imagines they would have given short shrift to the idea of taking to the mud and puddles of a tired pitch that is used by three teams.

Instead they wanted to get the game done and dusted, and their reward for that desire was a well-deserved victory in a fixture that won't be remembered for the rugby played.

The Dragons headed into the game needing to win and then repeat the trick at Gloucester on Saturday to stand any hope of reeling in group leaders Saracens to make the semis.

They picked a strong team featuring just one player – Bedwas back rower Robson Blake – who is not a regional regular but conditions turned it into a muddy farce.

While age-grade games were being played by Dragons teams on the 3G surfaces of Pontypridd and Ystrad Mynach, the seniors were playing in circumstances that almost rendered it a pointless fixture.

Sure, some from rugby's amateur days would say 'I played in worse' but how could a fringe player stake a claim for a starting spot in the Guinness Pro12 game in such a circus?

At the risk of going over old (muddy) ground, it isn't a pitch fit for professional sport and the current situation reflects badly on the city.

The hard-working ground staff, who turned around a pitch from the previous day's League Two meeting between the Exiles and Hartlepool, don't stand a chance and without investment the gripes about the surface will keep coming every season once August passes.

On dry days the field isn't bad for rugby but Wales is hardly Arizona.

The pre-match drama didn't quite hit the levels before the New Year's Day meeting with the Ospreys – Dean Richards was a lot more content than Steve Tandy while no Falcon headed out to match the histrionics of Dan Biggar – but it was touch and go whether the game would get the green light.

On Saturday Cross Keys had been asked if their Pandy Park home could be an alternative but, with referee John Meredith travelling down from the North East of England on the day of a game, the minutes ticked by and made a late change of venue impossible.

But Newcastle were happy to get on with things in Newport and the game went to the sound of squelching boots.

It was clearly never going to be a game to match the spectacular Challenge Cup meeting between the sides in January, 2015 when a Hallam Amos and Tyler Morgan inspired Dragons romped to a 40-29 win on the plastic pitch at Kingston Park.

The conditions called for a strong kicking game, both out of hand and from the tee, and wing Tom Prydie struck an excellent opener to put the Dragons 3-0 up in the ninth minute, keeping his balance to bisect the posts from 40 metres.

However, the Falcons worked their way into the game thanks to their well-drilled lineout drive and it saw them go into the lead in the 21st minute, number eight Mark Wilson the scorer of a try that scrum-half Sonatane Takulua expertly converted from out wide.

Back came the Dragons with scrum-half Sarel Pretorius to the fore with a couple of snipes to work inside the 22. The hosts showed fine handling to hold onto the slippery ball but Newcastle defended resolutely to reduce the damage to a second Prydie penalty.

However, 7-6 swiftly became 12-6 to the Falcons with a clinical score down the right thanks to Takulua picking out winger Belisario Agulla after a burst by his forwards into the 22.

The scrum-half was narrowly wide with the conversion but made no mistake with a penalty to make it 15-6 at half-time and repeated the trick minutes after the restart.

All eyes were on Welsh official Gareth John, who had taken over from English referee Meredith, as to whether the game would make it to 80 minutes, especially as it was looking like a nailed-on away win.

It was one-way traffic with the well-drilled Falcons pack enjoying domination of possession and territory.

Home lock Rynard Landman was yellow-carded for illegally stopping a driving lineout and the visitors went in search of the killer blow.

The Dragons rallied with Blake impressing with some typically forceful runs but just as they were building up a head of steam the correct decision was made to call it off.

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hughes (captain), T Morgan, A Warren, T Prydie, D Jones, S Pretorius (C Davies 46), T Davies, R Buckley (R Thomas 46), B Harris, M Screech (J Thomas 58), R Landman, O Griffiths (R Blake 46), N Cudd, H Keddie.

Scorers: penalties – T Prydie (2)

Newcastle: A Tait, B Agulla, C Harris, JP Socino, V Goneva, J Hodgson, S Takulua, R Vickers, S Lawson, J Welsh, C Green, E Olmstead, S Robinson, W Welch (captain), M Wilson.

Scorers: tries – M Wilson, B Agulla; conversion – M Takulua; penalties – M Takulua (2)

Referee: John Meredith (England)

Argus star man: Nic Cudd