AFTER an improvement in terms of performance and attitude, it’s all about the result when Newport head to Carmarthen Quins tomorrow.

The Black and Ambers have lost three on the spin since a fine opening day win at Aberavon.

There was little to take from their drubbings to Llanelli and Cardiff – who crossed for a combined total of 15 tries – but their midweek encounter with Bedwas at Rodney Parade was a step forward.

However, it was in vain as it was the Bridge Field outfit that left with the points and left head coach Sven Cronk rueing small lapses.

Newport, who were down to 14 men following Hywel Stoddart's first-half dismissal, had managed the second half superbly and looked set for a deserved win.

But then Bedwas struck at the death through centre Jack Dixon with fly-half Richard Powell slotting over a superb conversion from the left touchline.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow,” said Cronk. “It was encouraging in terms of performance considering we were down to 14 men for most of the game (centre Adam Davies was yellow-carded in the first half).

“We played some good stuff and some clever rugby at times but we let ourselves down with the result.

“We moved on a great deal since being smashed by a regional A side (Cardiff fielded plenty of Blues in a 62-17 win), but that game was there for us.

“After leading all the way through the second half we should have been able to shut the game down.

“We had done all the right things to wind the clock down but then let ourselves down right at the end. We ran poorly with the ball twice and that’s what you get when you execute poorly. It just got away from us and we need to do better this weekend.”

They will have to cope without captain Gethin Robinson in their bid to return to winning ways as the tighthead will be out for at least two months after tearing his bicep against Cardiff. That injury meant that 17-year-old Alex Jeffries wore the number 3 jersey against Bedwas and he did admirably, producing a strong scrummaging performance against experienced foes.