THERE'S a winner-takes-all prize of third place in the WRU League Division One East table up for grabs on Wednesday, when Blackwood travel to face Bargoed (kick-off 7.15pm).

The Gwent side won 21-13 at Newbridge and are now a position and a point adrift of Bargoed, who were surprisingly beaten by relegation-threatened Fleur-de-Lys.

"This was a great win for us with our forwards building the platform for the success," said Blackwood secretary Bruce Penfold.

"It wasn't the best of games and was certainly very scrappy before half-time. But it improved a bit after that and we ran out deserved winners.

Third place is on now for us, and after the Bargoed match we finish our fixtures on Saturday with a home game against Llanharan."

After Newbridge had taken an early lead through a Shaun Thomas penalty, the visitors took control to score tries from full back Shaun Emery and centre Luke Knight, penalties via Jeremy Lloyd and David James with Lloyd also landing a conversion and a drop goal.

The home side crossed for a five-pointer from Steve Oliver, while Thomas added the conversion as well as booting over a second penalty.

"A defeat is always a disappointing way to end the season," said Newbridge head coach Mark Thomas.

"We must now regroup in the summer, take stock if you will and then take things from there. A lot of things need sorting out because the club went under a lot of upheaval following the death of (former coach) Steve Jones and we didn't really get a settled squad until just after Christmas."

Following a recent mini-revival, Newport Saracens lost 21-14 at home to Rumney, but they now require just one point from Tuesday's home clash with already-relegated Llantrisant to avoid the drop.

"I'm not saying we should have won, but we could have if we'd taken a couple of late try-scoring opportunities," said Sarries coach Paul Evans.

"We battled away throughout, but I really believe playing so many games recently has caught up with us and that we looked tired during this match."

Lock forward Scott Marrasco grabbed Sarries' only try, while Ross Palmer slotted over a hat trick of penalties after starting the game as an openside flanker and ending it in the outside-half position.

"I don't know of any player who can play with equal quality in both those positions as Ross Palmer and we are indeed lucky to have him," concluded Evans.

Bottom-placed Flower's hugely unexpected victory at Bargoed means they still have a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation, although, of course, it could be all over for them if the Sarries earn that point tomorrow night.

None the less, the club remains in a defiant mood: "What an excellent display and what a great result!" exclaimed Flower secretary Alan Evans.

"And it's nice to realise we've now beaten both of our main rivals, Blackwood and Bargoed, and we will now go into Wednesday's game against Pontypool with confidence.

"We've given ourselves a massive boost for that game and if we can perform as we did at Bargoed, then who knows what will happen."

Both of Flower's tries came from full back Christian Willis, with outside- half Brett Green kicking two penalties, a drop goal and a conversion, and while he was receiving treatment for an injury, replacement outside-half Gareth Thomas also slotted over a penalty.

Flower's home match against Pooler will kick off at 7.00pm.

In Division Two East, third-from-the-bottom Newport HSOB were thrashed 57-17 at fifth-placed Builth Wells - but have been handed something of a relegation reprieve, according to coach Steve Barnes.

"The rules set out at the start of the season explained that three teams would go down," said Barnes. "However, we received an e-mail in the week from the Welsh Rugby Union stating that now only two clubs are to be relegated.

"We are obviously looking into it, but it seems as though we are going to stay up after all - which, of course, is great news."

Winger Tom Diggle and scrum-half Gareth Hillier crossed for tries for the Sarries, whose other points came via the boot of outside-half Will Edwards with two conversions and a penalty.

However, the Sarries had hooker Tom Piper sent off in a controversial incident after which his opposite number was only sin-binned.

Hapless Pill Harriers lost for the 21st successive time and only had a penalty by outside-half Paul Davies to show for a 71-3 thumping at mid-table Ynysybwl, and they complete their fixtures with an away game against Llanishen on Thursday, kick-off 6.30pm.

Best result for a Gwent club in the section was Tredegar's 50-5 home victory over Llanishen, with full back Robert Smith and left-winger Jamie Henthorn both scoring a couple of tries.

Others came from number eight Stuart Jarman, flanker Steve Knight, stand-in skipper Jack Dawson plus lock Jamie Attwell, while outside-half Greg Jones kicked five conversions.

Tredegar can still end the season in fourth position and they should record a quick-fire win double over Llanishen when they visit them on Tuesday, kick-off 6.30pm.

Brynmawr are champions of Division Three East and they celebrated in style in beating visiting Croesyceiliog while Senghenydd dragged themselves off the bottom and above Pontllanfraith after beating them 59-14.

Abergavenny are also promoted as a result of finishing second following a 38-0 home win against New Tredegar.

Gwernyfed won the Division Four East title, but Abertillery BG remain second after winning 17-12 at home against Abercarn, but bottom-placed Talywain's away match at Monmouth was postponed.

Crumlin are Division Five East kings after duly defeating visiting Llanhilleth 34-12, while already-relegated RTB Ebbw Vale were not in action.