BRYN Morris and Bobby Kamwa scored hat-tricks as Newport County AFC gave Milton Keynes Dons a 6-3 hammering on a remarkable return to Rodney Parade.

The Exiles ensured the Amber Army will head into Christmas with a spring in their step after following up three hard-fought draws on their travels with a stunning victory in Newport, albeit they made it a needlessly nervy afternoon.

County took complete control with four goals inside 36 minutes; it should have been job done but wasn't.

Morris scored a screamer for the first, fired in on the rebound for the second, Bobby Kamwa finished calmly for the third and then Morris completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot for his fourth.

Luke Offord gave the Dons some hope with a header from a free-kick in added time but it was still a dream first half for the hosts.

They weren’t content to sit on their lead and came flying out of the blocks to make it 5-1, Kamwa calmly lobbing in his second of the game.

Sloppy defending allowed Joe White and Offord to give MK hope but then Kamwa scored another super solo to calm things down by making it 6-3 with 10 minutes to go.

DELIGHT: Bobby Kamwa scored County's third against MK Dons (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency)

It was a statement win and performance of the Nelson Jardim era against a Dons side who had won six of their last seven league games.

After some grumbling about the displays when battling for excellent points on the road against Notts County, AFC Wimbledon and Colchester, the Exiles swatted aside a team who are likely to be in the promotion mix come May.

After being workmanlike away from home, County were well-balanced, hard-pressing and lively at Rodney Parade.

Morris broke his duck for the season, the often-frustrating Kamwa had an end product and striker Luke Jephcott grasped his chance up front to link play superbly.

His still remains on a duck for the Exiles after 29 games but he did provide a pair of assists and deserves to lead the line at Bromley on Boxing Day.

It will be a hectic festive period and, while the defensive shortcomings need to be addressed, County have set the standard ahead of the trips to London and Walsall, then home fixtures with Wimbledon and Morecambe.

Jardim made three changes to the side that drew at Colchester with Anthony Glennon back at left-back, allowing Shane McLoughlin to switch to his favoured right where he played behind recalled winger Kamwa.

Up front was a first start for Luke Jephcott since the EFL Trophy game against West Ham Under-21s in mid-September.

Ominously, County were dispossessed cheaply three times inside the first 90 seconds against a Dons side who looked more purposeful on the ball.

However, it was the hosts that were in command after 16 minutes thanks to Morris’ quickfire and contrasting double.

First the midfielder smashed in a cracker with his left foot from the edge of the area, the strike made to look even better thanks to going in off the bar.

The 1-0 lead quickly became 2-0 thanks to fast feet by Kamwa on the counter down the left, a cross to Jephcott in the box, a shot on target that forced a good save from Tom McGill and then Morris being on the spot to comprehensively score from the rebound.

A near-perfect start then became a perfect one in the 23rd minute when Jephcott’s hard work paid off, the striker winning the ball high up the pitch and playing in Kamwa to finish calmly.

The killer blow should have come as early as the half hour but midfielder Cameron Antwi, after doing so well to win the ball and work a shooting chance, completely fluffed his lines with just the ‘keeper to beat.

Another opportunity was soon botched on the counter when Antwi again lacked composure after doing well up to the final third; the midfielder, Jephcott with his run and then eventually Morris in the box failed to make the most of it.

However, the fourth came in the 36th minute when a handball allowed Morris to make amends for his failure from the spot against Fleetwood, drilling it to his left for a hat-trick.

That would have done the Exiles nicely at the break, but sadly they had a lapse in the third minute of added time.

A free-kick was whipped into the box and Luke Offord headed in for what looked far too simple a goal from a County perspective.

Nonetheless, a three-goal advantage had Jardim’s men on the brink of a victory barring a calamitous second half.

A strong start was needed and they got it, Jephcott playing a ball over the top and Kamwa mixing pace with precision to lob the onrushing McGill.

The Dons were a rabble at the back and Antwi almost made it 6-1 with 50 minutes gone, then Jardim started to look to the festive period.

On came Noah Mawene and Kyle Hudlin in like-for-like swaps for Antwi and Jephcott, who could both reflect on strong efforts, while defender Kyle Jameson came on for winger Michael Spellman.

There were half-chances at either end with Mawene and Ellis Harrison, from Newport, driving efforts wide before the Dons cut the gap with 19 to go.

Once again the defending was disappointing as the ball fell to White to drill past Townsend with his left foot.

From 5-1 up and cruising, County were then 5-3 up and nervy after the ball was put back into the box after a corner, nodded on and Offord scored his second with quarter of an hour to go.

The Exiles were wobbling but then Kamwa came up with another big moment.

The winger released the pressure by getting onto a clearance, combined with Glennon and then stayed calm (again) in the box.

He cut in, worked it onto his right and curled in a shot that McGill got a hand to but couldn’t keep out – 6-3 and thankfully this time it truly was job done.

County: Townsend, McLoughlin (captain), Brennan, Baker, Glennon (Thomas 82), Morris, K Evans, Kamwa, Antwi (Mawene 59), Spellman (Jameson 65), Jephcott (Hudlin 59).

Substitutes not used: Carney, Clarke, Whitmore.

Goals: Morris (3, 1 penalty), Kamwa (3).

MK Dons scorers: Offord (2), White.

Referee: Simon Mather.

Attendance: 4,298.