Two late penalty strikes from fly-half Nathan Spooner gave Leinster a dramatic 26-21 victory over Newport as the lights literally went out on Newport's Heineken Cup campaign at Rodney Parade this evening. Matt Williams' men maintained their 100% record with a gritty final quarter display after the game was halted for 18 minutes because of partial floodlight failure.
Both sides left the field as English referee Chris White consulted with his touch judges, players and officials from both teams, but play resumed even though the failed lights remained unlit. Leinster had looked down and out at half-time, trailing 18-10 as Newport took control of a pulsating match, with centre Andy Marinos and winger Ben Breeze both scoring tries during a marvellous 13-minute spell when Newport amassed 15 unanswered points after trailing 10-3.
Full-back Peter McKenna got Leinster back on track with a wonderful try in the 58th minute to give the visitors the lead going into the final quarter after robbing Newport's Matt Pini close to his own line and sprinting 90 metres unopposed. Shane Howarth's second penalty edged Newport 21-20 ahead minutes later before the lights faded and the match was thrown into confusion.
Leinster returned the hungrier following the unexpected break, and with Howarth failing to find his goalkicking range, Spooner kept his nerve with two tremendous kicks from almost 50 metres on 74 minutes and then two minutes into stoppage time. The win was all the more remarkable as Leinster were without Irish internationals Girvan Dempsey and Denis Hickie through injury, but with Spooner kicking 16 points and McKenna and the outstanding flanker Eric Miller claiming tries, it proved enough.
Filed by Shane Murray
