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GAME DETAILS
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Conference
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Attendance: 4,365
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DT92 Members at this game: (you can click here to load your profile picture) |
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Bristolcityeastendboy1965
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gashead eric
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Newport County AFC V HEREFORD UNITED
7.45pm Tues 28th August 2012
2 - 0
Attendance: 4,365 (Away: 589)
Result: 2 - 0
Venue: Home
Competition: BSBP
Referee: Mr. G. Horwood (Luton)
Sponsor's M.o.M: Max Porter
Goals: Sandell, O'Connor
County supporters of an older persuasion must have felt like they’d been transported thirty years back in time after a scintillating evening that rendered Rodney Parade to a state of near nirvana. Unbeaten Hereford, coupled with an extremely fussy official, did their level best to spoil the party, but could do absolutely nothing as Andy Sandell brought the house down with his wand of a left-foot. It was such a mesmerising strike that you almost felt sorry for Aaron O’Connor: the on-fire striker whose stunning injury-time clincher would have taken the plaudits on any other evening. The rampant Exiles now sit three points clear at the Blue Square Premier summit, boasting five wins from five: as a record league crowd for Newport County MkII disappeared into the night bearing smiles as wide as the river Usk.
Boss Justin Edinburgh made just one change for a derby fixture as widely anticipated as any since the Football League days of old: teenager Lee Evans returning to the now familiar trio in midfield at the expense of Jake Thomson. The Bulls, who lost their own league place last May, were making their first competitive visit to Newport since January 1988, as old rivalries were renewed. The vociferous supporters certainly didn’t disappoint either as an atmosphere at fever pitch greeted the entrance of the players.
It was Hereford who were quickest out of the blocks: Lenny Pidgeley doing well to parry Sam Clucas’ low shot away for a corner after only sixty seconds. Within a minute, the visitors had an amazing let-off at the other end after Jefferson Louis seized upon an errant back-pass from Andy Gallinagh. The bustling County forward waltzed around keeper Dan Hanford before somehow colliding with the upright when he seemed certain to score. Both sides were playing some neat, early football however with the midfield battle in particular proving irresistible to watch.
On nine minutes, Sean Canham fired straight at Pidgeley as the tempo showed no signs of relenting: before an incident sixty seconds later resulted in a penalty decision that was dubious at best. Ismail Yakubu was the unlucky player penalised as Sam Clucas broke inside the box and went down after seemingly clipping his own heels. Yakubu, like most inside the stadium, could only look on in utter disbelief as Mr. Horwood from Luton pointed to the spot. Thankfully, Lenny Pidgeley ensured that justice prevailed: diving superbly to his left to thwart Harry Pell’s penalty whilst Tom Nichols blazed over from the rebound.
Sandell was next to chance his arm on 26 minutes, fizzing in a low effort that whistled past the post as the game continued to flow from end to end. Eight minutes later Danny Crow came close after a sweet move, chipping the ball over Hanford only to see Carruthers in the right place to clear from the line. Five minutes before the break, Lee Evans drilled a shot past the target following some fine approach play from Louis, before Michael Flynn received a yellow card for a rather innocuous looking challenge on Pell. It wouldn’t be the last contentious booking of the night sadly.
Half-time: County 0 Hereford 0
The second period started more cautiously than the first, with the visitors almost fashioning the first opening on 51 minutes: Sean Canham doing well on the left before the danger was swiftly averted. A minute later, Hanford saved a headed attempt from former Bull Tony James as Newport began to regain their stride. Indeed the Exiles appeared to be getting on top now and as we reached the hour mark, Danny Crow volleyed wide from a good opening created by David Pipe.
With seventeen minutes remaining, Aaron O’Connor went close, drawing a fine save from Hanford following an excellent cross from Sandell. The goal the large home crowd had simply craved finally arrived three minutes later: and Rodney Parade erupted. Defender Michael Townsend headed clear only for it to be instantly returned by a thunderbolt from Andy Sandell: his 30-yard missile screaming into the top corner of Hanford’s net. Shortly afterwards, Yakubu became the third County player to be booked after bizarrely appearing to be the recipient of a foul rather than the perpetrator of it.
Mr. Horwood went one step further on 80 minutes: banishing Justin Edinburgh from the sidelines, after the County manager appeared to have kicked the ball away. Four minutes later, the Exiles almost nabbed a second following a swift breakaway that resulted in Flynn and Crow combining before substitute Thomson sent a shot just past the upright. A second Newport goal duly arrived however as we ticked into the fourth minute of injury time, Aaron O’Connor grabbing his sixth goal in five games with a corker. Danny Crow seized upon a stray pass from Townsend before releasing O’Connor on the left: the striker doing everything else by cutting inside before bending an unerring finish into the top corner. A perfect end to a perfect night.
Final Score: County 2 Hereford 0
Bookings: County: Flynn (41), Sandell (74), Yakubu (77), Charles (86), Crow (90), Thomson (90) / Hereford: Carruthers (15), Gallinagh (90).
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Slaneo
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Day after Reading festival. Just me and Dan went. Great atmosphere, but a pretty poor result. Pell missed a penalty. First loss of the season.
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DanielWatkins5
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Poor result, two great goals for Newport County though, dissapointing performance considering it was a derby.
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