NEWPORT may be starting to string together a run of victories but the coaching staff are not pulling any punches as they bid to keep climbing the league.

The mood has lightened at Rodney Parade with three wins on the spin, the last a crucial victory at Bedwas in the Konica Minolta Cup, and the top five is within touching distance.

Nothing will hide the fact that the Black and Ambers have disappointed this campaign but the next five days will go a long way to determining how it finishes.

Fourth-placed Pontypridd visit the Parade tomorrow and then Neath, who are surely going to make it four titles in a row, head east on Wednesday.

There has been no let-up in the quest for improvement with such a challenging schedule on the horizon.

"It is much better to be in the situation where you can be critical with a smile on your face," said head coach Ian Hembrow. "The players know themselves that they need to keep getting better.

"It was frustrating watching the Bedwas game in analysis and seeing that clear opportunities were missed while the posts were in the frame.

"There were glaring mistakes made where we were trying to force the pass, burst through tackles or go that bit too far in rucks and mauls. We were looking to drive for extra yards rather than being happy with what we had got, setting a target and patiently going through the phases.

"The quality of passing and the decision-making has been the main thing in training and there needs to be an improvement against Pontypridd."

Rarely is a game against the Sardis Road outfit a stroll in the park and after a comprehensive 19-3 beating in October, Hembrow expects their opponents to be at their tenacious best.

"Dale McIntosh and Paul John have got them firing and it is sure to be a tough, abrasive encounter but I think both coaching teams would like it like that," he said.

"We want to see what the boys are made of and we want them to go toe-to-toe in a physically draining encounter.

"The game at Sardis Road was the only time that we have been second best from start to finish. Ponty were very controlled, but quite negative, in the contact area and managed to slow our ball down.

"We will need to come out on top in that area and then after 20 or 30 minutes of sparring take our chances and hope Dan Griffiths keeps the scoreboard ticking along."

Newport may be without Gethin Robinson, who is on the bench for the Dragons tonight, but they are able to name a trio of young regional players in their 22.

Alex Walker continues at scrum-half, Lewis Evans returns from his leg injury as back row replacement while Jamie Corsi comes in at tight head prop to make his third appearance for the club.

The only other change sees Nathan Williams return on the wing while Hembrow has chosen five forwards on the bench.

Newport: J Dixon, N Williams, N Wakley, S Williams, W Kershaw-Naylor, D Griffiths, A Walker, D Pattison (captain), A Brown, J Corsi, M Workman, M Veater, R Dale, C Hill, A Coombs. Replacements: I Evans, M Leaman, D Evans, L Evans, P Williams, M Thomas, M Hook.

The game between Newport and Ebbw Vale will now take place on Tuesday, March 25. Both teams are on Konica Minolta Cup duty on the original date.