By PHIL GUTTUS

Newport............25
Barnstaple....... 18
Newport secured their second home bonus-point win in a hard-fought battle with Barnstaple.
On a perfect playing surface, with little wind, the first half was an even affair, with the lead changing hands regularly.
Newport had taken an immediate lead through a Keifer Laxton try, but Barnstaple had overturned that advantage with a penalty try midway through the half.
Hendry Vaka, Newport’s talisman for many seasons, in his first outing this season, touched down, before a Ryan Smale try, converted by Jacob Murphy, gave the visitors a n...