Newport still failed to make earlier pressure count and they also made one or two crucial mistakes. They failed to capitalise, particularly when they led 9-3 and were piling on the pressure. Cardiff proved they could not be counted out and John Scott and Robert Norster were a tower of strength for the home side, while for Newport John Widdecombe had his finest game in a Newport jersey. Newport led at half time 6-0 from a try by Marc Batten as Chris Manley's diagonal punt bounced wickedly to avoid the clutches of Cardiff fullback Mike Rayer and gave the wing an easy run-in.
At the start of the second half Geraint John kicked a penalty goal which was followed by a Paul Turner drop goal to keep Newport ahead. Then came a moment of madness from Tony Coombes. When Robert Lakin tackled Coombes after the whistle had blown, Coombe threw the ball at Lakin?s head and referee Yemen penalised Newport. Cardiff immediately tapped the penalty and ran at a Newport defence caught napping, Mark Ring created the space for Richard Cardus to go over. A Paul Turner penalty got Newport back in front but the combined passing of Scott and Cardus sent Mark Ring clear to put Cardiff ahead. Then came a desperate finish by the Newport eight. Repeated 5yd scrums and two penalties, one a forward charge headed by John Widdecombe who claimed a try, but referee Robert Yemen was right on the spot to award another scrum with Cardiff scrum half Chris Hutchings getting between ball and ground. Yemen said aterwards that he could not award a penalty try when Cardiff appeared to collapse the scrum on more than one occasion as he said ?it was a static scrum?!