NEWPORT head coach Ty Morris admitted he thought the game at Swansea might have been gone when his side trailed 27-7 at the start of the second half.
But a burst of 27 points in the final 25 minutes turned a potential defeat into a bonus-point victory to make it two from two in Super Rygbi Cymru to stay top of the table after a 35-27 triumph at St Helen’s.
“Swansea put together some really nice stuff and I was starting to worry midway through the second half,” said Morris.
“We kicked poorly, made a number of handling errors and a lot of players didn’t play to their best. You just have to put it down to being one of those days.
“We’ve just got to keep on winning now and make sure we are more accurate in future games.”
Having taken an early lead through a try from Josh Reid Newport saw Swansea hit back with outside half Josh Phillips kicking two penalties, scoring a try and adding two conversions.
Phillips improved his own score and added the extras to a try by wing Callum Dodd.
Lock Joe Peard grabbed his first try for the club in the 45th minute and Penny’s second made it 20-14.
Swansea replied with a try from hooker Owen Thomas, which Phillips converted to give the All Whites a 13 point lead. Then Swansea lost lock Sam Pailor to a yellow card and Newport pounced.
Tries from Penny and Jac Lloyd, both improved by Penny, brought up the bonus point and edged them into a one point lead before Wade Langley scored a solo effort in added time.
“Wade put in one of the best man of the match performances I’ve seen in my time at the club. He really has developed so well,” added Morris.
“Jac also had a good game, but unfortunately he had to go to hospital on Saturday night to have an operation on his appendix. He’ll now be missing for a while.”
There were eight tries and four yellow cards in a chaotic match at the Brewery Field where Pontypool hit back from their opening night defeat to beat Bridgend 29-26.
It took a Pat Lewis try in the 76th minute to clinch it as Pooler hit the front for the second time in the match right at the death.
The only consolation for the Ravens was they picked up two bonus points for their efforts. Early tries from Jordon Collier and Edd Howley earned the Ravens a 12 point lead.
By half-time Pooler had hit back to lead through driving line-out tries from Sam Scarfe and Mike Herbert, and a third from wing Ioan Duggan. The lead changed hands again in the 53rd minute when Ryan Wilkins went over and Luke Price landed his second conversion.
Scott Matthews scored Pooler’s bonus point try to make it 22-19 before Alfie Llewellyn got Bridgend’s fourth. Price added the extras and with seven minutes to go Bridgend led 26-22 - then came Lewis’ matchwinner, which Kieran Meek converted.
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