A Percy Montgomery-inspired Newport maintained their gradual improvement after the depths of Toulouse with a well-merited victory over Pontypridd at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

Pontypridd were without 10 first choice players, five in the backs and five up front, but on the basis that you can only play what's in front of you Newport made a pretty decent job of it.

At no stage were they headed, easing into a comfortable 19-3 lead at the interval and well ahead in the second half, too, until a late Ponty try.

The real difference was Montgomery, who had the crowd on his side from the moment he stepped up to take the first penalty.

It freed Shane Howarth to play his normal game and Monty rewarded the fans with a near faultless kicking display as he landed four penalties, a dropped goal and conversion for his first points for Newport, 17 in all.

Not just that, his overall game was a triumph and he showed he's not here just for the money.

After one attack he clearly felt he had been obstructed on the Ponty 22. By the time he stopped remonstrating with the touch judge he realised Ponty were clear downfield.

But he still got all the way back to minor ahead of any player from either side, quite an effort.

And so was Matt Mostyn's when he intercepted inside his own 22 and hared around 85 yards for the line, just making it, though tackled a yard short.

He had already rounded off a good move started by Montgomery and carried on by Hal Luscombe with his first try, so it was no wonder he didn't come out for the second half, though he denied suggestions it was because his legs had gone.

But just as Pontypridd are threatening the WRU with legal action over the breaking of their loyalty agreement, so Mostyn had better watch his step because teammate James Richards is close to hauling him up before the judge as well.

On a more serious note, the Newport pack can be pleased with their effort in the set pieces, destroying the Ponty scrum and Mike Voyle in particular dominant in the line-outs.

On the downside, though, was the continuing inability, for all his energy and vigour, of Andrew Powell to control the ball at the back of the scrum.

It cost Newport a certain try in the second half when Ponty were allowed to hoof the ball away instead of being killed off.

But heavy pressure still paid off when scrum half Ofisa Tonu'u finally forced his way over amid a pile of bodies for his fourth try in as many matches.

If Montgomery was the real ace, he was run close by Pontypridd outside half Ceri Sweeney, who showed his promise, scoring a fine try himself and creating the late one by prop Duncan Bell.

He also kicked two penalties and two converions for a 15-point haul. It was to Pontypridd's credit that they ran Newport so close given the number of changes they made from their last European game against Connacht.

Newport: P Montgomery, M Mostyn (A Cadwallader 40 mins), H Luscombe, J Pritchard, L Nabaro (D Burn 79), S Howarth, O Tonu'u, R Snow, J Richards, A Garvey (C Anthony 70), S Raiwalui (captain), M Voyle, I Gough (R Jones 72), A Powell (S Ojomoh 58), J Forster.

Scorers -- tries: Matt Mostyn (2), Ofisa Tonu'u; conversion: Percy Montgomery; penalties: Montgomery (4); dropped goal: Monrtgomery.

Pontypridd: M Nuthall (B Davey 53), G Wyatt, S James, J Lewis, E Lewis, C Sweeney, G Baber, N Hennessy, M Rees (M Davies 53), D Bell, D McIntosh, R Sidoli (captain), N Kelly (B Davey 28-33), M Owen, W O'Connor (R Parks 66).

Scorers -- tries: Ceri Sweeney, Duncan Bell; conversions: Sweeney (2); penalties: Sweeney (2).