Report: Newport County 2-1 Iron

The Iron were beaten 2-1 at Newport County on Saturday.

Padraig Amond struck right on half-time but the Iron levelled in the second period with Mark O’Brien left red faced after he turned the ball into his own net following James Perch’s cross.

However, the hosts re-took the lead through Josh Sheehan; his strike enough to seal the victory for the Exiles.

In the opening exchanges, Amond gave the Iron an early scare, drawing a save from Rory Watson after latching onto a pass down the left, but the ‘keeper palmed it away and Harrison McGahey cleaned up at the back.

Minutes later, Yann Songo’o headed wide for the Iron from from Ryan Colclough’s deep cross.

The Exiles were awarded a free-kick 20 yards out in the 12th minute. Ryan Haynes took the set-piece but fired over the bar from the edge of the box.

Jamie Proctor registered an effort on target, meeting a set piece floated in by Colclough but the header was comfortable for Newport shot-stopper Tom King.

Levi Sutton and Rory McArdle defended heroically, with Sutton’s initial clearance falling for an amber shirt and the skipper headed the ball away.

The hosts went close through Ryan Inniss with 18 minutes on the watch after Haynes picked out the defender at the back post, only for the former to skew his shot off target. Lee Novak then got his body in the way of a follow-up header and Watson eventually claimed the ball.

With 23 minutes played, Joss Labadie acrobatically took aim but his scissor kick is straight at Watson.

Mark O’Brien spurned a chance for Newport with 10 minutes to go until the interval after a knock-down from his teammate fell to the Irishman inside the area but he couldn’t keep his effort down.

In the 39th minute, Colclough’s corner was flicked on by James Perch but King tipped the ball over the bar. The number seven almost netted directly from the resulting corner, with his in-swinging delivery nearly finding the top corner.

On the stroke of half-time, Amond opened the scoring for the Exiles. Watson made a great save from Robbie Willmott’s free-kick but Amond squeezed the ball in at the near post to make it 1-0 in the last kick of the half.

At the start of the second period, Scot Bennett crossed for Jamille Matt but Watson made a point blank save to deny the latter from close range. The rebound bounced back off the number 11 and somehow stayed out.

The Iron equalised with 49 minutes gone after some good link-up play between Colclough and Gilliead. Mark O’Brien then converted James Perch’s cross into his own goal to make it 1-1.

Seven minutes later, the hosts restored the lead after Sheehan pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired Newport back in front with a first-time strike.

The Iron looked to respond immediately after some good work from Gilliead but Colclough’s powerful effort was blocked.

Lee Novak looked for a leveller after Perch’s cross from the right fell for him in the box but an amber shirt beat him to it, heading behind. In the next phase of play, Colclough laid the ball off to the striker but a Newport defender gets in the way of his effort.

In the 70th minute, McArdle did well to outmuscle Matt as the forward accelerated into the area and looked to get a shot away.

Watson made a save to deny Inniss, turning his effort behind with just over 10 minutes left of the contest. From the resulting corner, Novak made a goal-saving clearance on the line, well positioned to hack the ball away.

In the first minute of added time, McGahey took aim but his volley was King was equal to it, finishing 2-1 to the hosts. 

NEWPORT: King, Haynes, Labadie (Nurse 85’), Willmott, Amond (Abrahams 85’), Sheehan, Matt, McNamara, Bennett, O’Brien, Inniss.

NEWPORT UNUSED SUBS: Townsend, Howkins, Dolan, Whitely, Poleon.

IRON: Watson, Songo’o, Colclough, Perch, Novak, Gilliead (Ward 68’), Sutton (Slater 57’), McArdle, McGahey, Brown, Proctor (van Veen 78).

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Eastwood, Butler, Eisa, Bedeau.

ATTENDANCE: 3,946 (178 away).