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For the second time in their long and difficult season City were left wondering how they had lost a match against a Newport IOW side who for long periods of the game looked incapable of stringing three passes together, let alone scoring a goal. However, as in the single goal defeat against the Islanders at Twerton Park back in February City ended up empty handed and, more worrying, relying on other teams in their battle to preserve Premier Division status. For over an hour the game had looked to heading for a goalless draw before an amazing ten minute spell that saw City take the lead before conceding two goals in as many minutes. City's side saw four changes to the one that beat Salisbury City a week earlier, Gary Kemp and Dave Gilroy returning from injury to replace Toby Redwood and Dan Cleverley, and Lee Collier and Joe Collins displacing Mark Badman and the unfit Andy Williams. In front of Newport's biggest crowd of the season, boosted by over 150 City fans who had made the journey to the Island, the first half was an instantly forgettable affair in which neither side could manage a shot on goal. In truth both sides looked reluctant to push men forward in a game that neither could afford to lose. The closest either team came to scoring was when a goalmouth scramble in the City box ended with Laws blasting high over Mark Hervin's bar. Whittingham also wasted another half chance for Newport but this was about it for 45 minutes. The second half showed little improvement - Newport appearing to realise that a draw was not too bad a result for them and City looking incapable for finding a way past them for the win they desperately needed. However, with 66 minutes gone this all suddenly changed. A long hopeful ball forward by Joe Collins appeared to present little threat but it wasn't dealt with by the Newport defence and Adrian Foster was clear on goal. Faced with 6'5 keeper Matthews City's top scorer produced a perfect lob that, despite the keeper somehow getting a hand to it, found the net to the delight of the City fans behind the goal. This forced Newport to make a change in personal and formation, Gibbons replacing Moss and joining Laws and Whittingham up front. This change took just seven minutes to have an effect although it wasn't without a helping hand from City. The hosts won a corner on their left that Leigh swung into the area. Hervin came for it but under pressure from Whittingham failed to gather, giving Laws a simple chance from five yards out. City had barely had time to digest this setback when they conceded a second goal. Laws turned provider, sending Leigh clear of the City defence, and the substitute fired past Hervin into the corner of the net. Now Newport were understandably content to sit back and look to hold onto their unexpected advantage. As the game entered stoppage time the approach almost cost them the win when Foster got on to the end of a Jason Drysdale free-kick. Unfortunately, the strikers header hit the outside of the post leaving City to reflect on another huge blow in their relegation battle. |
