Newport grateful for the magic of Howarth

Newport 21 Toulouse

Love him or loathe him, you simply cannot afford to ignore Shane Howarth. After an indifferent evening's work at Rodney Parade the little outside- half worked the oracle to restore his reputation and send the 9,000 Newport fans into party mood. The fact that Howarth's match-winning try came three minutes from time made it all the more dramatic. It was just as well that he crossed at the posts because earlier in the night he had missed three relatively simple penalties and a conversion.

And to add to the joy of the home-villain-turned-hero, his last-gasp moment of magic earned him his second successive Heineken Man of the Match Award. Even though Toulouse are yet to win this season, taking the scalp of the French champions is still a notable landmark for a club merely halfway through a massive revolution aimed at restoring them to their former glory.

Coming on top of another epic late triumph at Newcastle, the black and ambers can now look forward with some confidence to a top of Pool Six clash in Dublin with fellow unbeaten side Leinster. Whoever wins that game will be in poll position to reach the quarter-finals, although don't rule out Toulouse having a say in who finally progresses to the knock-out phase.

The despair on the faces of the Toulouse players after Howarth skipped through their defensive line to score his vital try told the story of their season to date. But a side with so many good players, such strong tradition and used to so much success will bounce back.

After two games on the road, and another to come at Newcastle, they will no doubt be itching to make amends on home soil. That is likely to be a different story.

While Howarth stole the limelight, Toulouse could easily have won this game. Having turned an 8-7 interval deficit into a handy 17-8 lead within six minutes of the restart thanks to a Michel Marfaing penalty and a second try from scrum-half Jerome Fillol, they should have used the strong wind to close down the game.

However, Howarth kicked two penalties to cut the gap to six points and in the final 17 minutes the home pack went in search of the opening required to win the match. Simon Raiwalui and his fellow forwards battered the Toulouse pack and forced them into submission. It was a war of attrition up front that left both teams virtually out on their feet.

More of the same will be required if Newport are to stand a chance against Leinster and Howarth will have to be at his very best with the boot to inflict a first defeat on the Irishman this season. It promises to be another humdinger.

Newport: Tries M Mostyn, S Howarth; Conversion S Howarth; Penalties S Howarth 3. Toulouse: Tries J Fillol 2. Conversions M Marfaing 2; Penalties M Marfaing 2.

Newport: M Pini; M Mostyn, A Marinos, J Pritchard, M Watkins; S Howarth, O Tonu'u; R Snow (C Jones, 74), J Richards, A Garvey (C Anthony, 65), S Raiwalui (capt), M Voyle, P Buxton, J Forster, (J Powell, 65), A Powell.

Toulouse: F Michalak; N Jeanjean, C Desbrosse, X Garbajosa, M Marfaing; D Aucagne, J Fillol; B Lecouls (L Esposito, 74), Y Bru, F Tournaire, D Gerard, F Pelous (capt), D Lacroix (J Bouilhou, 67), S Dispagne (F Maka, 78), I Maka.

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland)