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GAME DETAILS
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Conference
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Attendance: 3,627
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DT92 Members at this game: (you can click here to load your profile picture) |
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Mike Kimberley
92 |
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gashead eric
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Match Report
Resilient Newport County went a long way to repairing their wounded pride with a lung-busting display against Wrexham in the Friday night TV blockbuster. When Max Porter’s deflected effort early into the second-half flew into the North Walian’s net, it was the least the Exiles had deserved after they had admirably refused to let their heads drop following a first-half penalty miss. With a little more luck, they would even have gone on to win it but for a meddlesome coat of paint on the visitors’ woodwork and an amazingly squandered sitter. However, it was positives all round on a pulsating evening for almost four thousand enraptured supporters in what was a wonderful advertisement for non-league football. One thing is for sure, whenever the Exiles have been selected for live screening this season, they certainly haven’t disappointed.
Manager Justin Edinburgh made a brace of changes from the New Year’s Day catastrophe against Forest Green Rovers, most notably restoring fit again skipper David Pipe. His loss had been immense and he replaced Byron Anthony who surprisingly wasn’t even amongst the substitutes. The other change occurred on the flank where Ryan Charles was handed a rare start in place of Ben Swallow. County received a huge pre-match boost in the shape of striker Danny Crow, included on the bench for the first time since tearing his hamstring against Ebbsfleet back in early October: Crow perceived by many as being the glue that knits County’s attacking options together. Visitors Wrexham were seeking to record a league double over Newport in the two clubs biggest meeting since ‘Bros’ and 'Castlemaine XXXX' went out of fashion.
Unlike in recent games, County were out of the blocks in a trice, displaying an insatiable hunger not evident of late: straight from the kick-off Michael Flynn flew in on Dean Keates with a crunching tackle that set a glorious tone thereafter. An Andy Sandell set piece on three minutes almost created an opening for Aaron O’Connor: sadly, he was unable to muster the connection necessary and the Dragon’s gratefully cleared their lines. Another Sandell free-kick on eight minutes fizzed just wide of goal as County continued to ask all the early questions. Make no bones about it though, this was never going to be a one-way contest and the North Walian’s began to break with menacing speed at every given opportunity: the match starting to roar seamlessly from end to end. Such was the intensity of the game’s opening, a player from each side had been booked before the twenty minute mark was breached: Porter for County and Wright of Wrexham incurring the wrath of referee Mr. Evans.
The in-form visitors sounded another warning on 21 minutes, Joe Clarke firing just wide of Alan Julian’s upright following some neat wing play involving Ashton and Hunt. County’s top scorer Aaron O’Connor was looking as sharp as a tack: and he continued to terrorise the Wrexham rearguard, blasting in a vicious shot on 25 minutes that brought a fine save from Joslain Mayebi. Three minutes later, O’Connor earned County their first home penalty of the campaign when his trickery along the bye-line ended with him being tripped by the bamboozled Daniel Alfei. Sadly for Newport, Andy Sandell opted for placement as opposed to putting his laces through the ball: and Mayebi dived easily to his right to save at an inviting height. County amazingly yet to register a single spot-kick this season, despite being the league’s high scorers.
It looked to have been a hugely pivotal moment too, when Wrexham sped back up the other end whilst defending a home corner kick and opened the scoring on 34 minutes. It was the dangerous Danny Wright who inflicted the damage: seizing upon Cielslewicz’s clever pass into the space vacated by corner-taker Sandell, before coolly chipping the rooted Alan Julian. Great credit to the Exiles though for refusing to bemoan their luck: instead they dug in heroically and mustered a second wind. Michael Smith might have done better on 39 minutes with a header, whilst the exuberant Max Porter saw his 25-yard drive blocked as the Dragon’s admirably threw bodies into the path of anything that moved. On the stroke of half-time, O’Connor sank to his knees: unable to quite fathom how he hadn’t equalised following a superb jinking run and shot on the turn which was inches wide of the post.
Half-time: County 0 Wrexham 1
The eager home side were out early for the restart, simply itching to get underway: however it was the Dragons who began the more dangerous once Mr. Evans had blown his shrill whistle. Alan Julian had to get down quickly to thwart a cross-come-shot from Neil Ashton, whilst a last-ditch tackle from Pipe denied Wright a clear run on goal. County responded in kind and Chris Westwood lashed a Michael Flynn header off the line on 51 minutes following a Lee Evans corner. Three minutes later, Newport were forced into a defensive change when Ismail Yakubu collapsed in a heap following a vital interception: Andrew Hughes racing on to replace him. Within four more manic minutes, County were deservedly level when a kindly deflection helped Max Porter’s piledriver into the Wrexham net. Another Evans corner was cleared only to the edge of the area, where Porter took aim and saw the ball loop high over keeper Mayebi sending the stadium berserk.
The atmosphere was electric now and both sides went searching for the winning goal. Wright’s header from a corner flew over the Newport bar on 62 minutes, before Riley denied the tireless O’Connor as he looked to go all the way on his own. Three minutes later, Ryan Charles cut inside from the right before driving in a low shot that lacked the wheels to truly worry Mayebi. County upped the ante and on 72 minutes, the Wrexham keeper handled outside his box giving the Exiles a free-kick on the edge of the area which Sandell blasted into the packed wall. Within four minutes, collective hearts were in mouths as the upright denied the Dragons a second goal: Adrian Cieslewicz had scored the last ever goal at Spytty Park, but there was no goal for him on this occasion as his header from an Ashton centre struck the inside of the post.
On 79 minutes, Keates hit a free-kick wide of goal before O’Connor thrilled the crowd with a wonderful solo run that just failed to provide the goal it clearly merited. On 83 minutes, Danny Crow trotted on to replace Charles amidst huge cheers and with the clock ticking down, so nearly won the game for County. An exquisite move involving Flynn, O’Connor and Smith fashioned a chance on a silver platter that the clearly rusty forward fired straight at a relieved Mayebi. If that had beggared belief, a minute into injury time Flynn’s bullet header from O’Connor’s cross thudded back off the underside of the crossbar and this enthralling encounter was clearly destined to finish all square.
“We made a statement” explained boss Justin Edinburgh afterwards: “I felt it was a fantastic advert for this league, with two teams who deserve to be where they are in this division. The only disappointment is in not winning the game: we came into it having a point to prove to ourselves and we did that. We had good shape, we looked a threat: while Aaron O’Connor was simply outstanding. Taking away a goal I felt we should have prevented, I thought we were very, very, very good. Once again our loyal fans have turned out in great numbers and leave here positive, which is great: I’m very pleased.”
Final Score: County 1 Wrexham 1
Bookings: County: Porter (14), Sandell (82) / Wrexham: Wright (17), Mayebi (75), Keates (90).
Referee: Mr. K. Evans
MoM: Aaron O’Connor
Match report by Ade Williams
Newport County AFC
1. Alan Julian
2. David Pipe
5. Tony James
6. Ismail Yakubu
13. Andy Sandell
4. Max Porter
16. Lee Evans
17. Michael Flynn
11. Ryan Charles
7. Aaron O'Connor
20. Michael Smith
Subs:
3. Andrew Hughes (Yakubu 54)
8. Lee Minshull
9. Danny Crow (Charles 83)
12. Ben Swallow
40. Lenny Pidgeley
WREXHAM
1. Joslain Mayebi
4. Daniel Alfei
6. Martin Riley
23. Chris Westwood
3. Neil Ashton
8. Jay Harris
12. Dean Keates
14. Joe Clarke
16. Johnny Hunt
7. Adrian Cielslewicz
9. Danny Wright
Subs:
15. Robert Ogelby (Harris 65)
17. Glen Little
18. Declan Walker
19. Nick Rushton (Cielslewicz 86)
13. Andy Coughlin
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halsteadhumbug
90 |
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cpr7
86 |
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brb
0 |
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