Saturday 21 December 2002 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

With Jim Rollo suspended City's starting line-up showed one change from the one that succumbed to Dover seven days earlier, Jamie Gosling restored alongside Paul Milsom and Iain Harvey in the heart of the team. This one personnel variation was the only real difference to the performance in Kent early on as City again dominated but failed to turn this pressure in to goals. Andy Williams ran clear from Harvey's sixth minute pass only to see his weak shot cleared off the line by Thomas. The eleventh minute saw Jason Eaton blast over the bar after Gosling's free-kick picked him out. Newport had shown nothing as an attacking force up to this point but from their first threatening attack they took a 19th minute lead. The goal was created by former City star Scott Walker in a manner the City faithful were well used to during his time at Twerton. He fired in a swerving 30-yard shot that Mark Bryant couldn't grasp in the wet conditions and Rose was given a simple tap-in. This blow was only a brief interlude in City's dominance. Matt Lewis evaded a couple of challenges before forcing a fine stop out of Exiles keeper Mountain after 23 minutes. Three minutes later the keeper parried a Mike Trought free-kick straight to Gosling. A goal looked certain only for the midfielder's shot to strike the post and get hacked away to safety. There followed a quieter period in the game and it looked as if City would go into the break trailing by just Rose's strike. However, with three minutes of the half remaining the visitors doubled their lead. Gary Thorne failed to deal with Shephard's ball into the box allowing Eckhardt to lay it off to Fowler and he applied the finishing touch.

Loan striker Lewis was replaced at the interval by Dan Cleverley as City looked for a slice of inspiration to get them back into the game. And with just nine minutes gone it arrived in the shape of Milsom. A Newport attack was broken up by Gosling and he raced 50 yards up field. It looked as it he had been crowded out by the retreating County defenders but, showing the touch and control he was producing before his three month injury lay-off, he squared the ball into the path of Milsom. The under-fire player elected to hit it first time and it flew straight into the top corner of the net. Moments later Bryant dived full length to keep out Fowler's free-kick. He was beaten on the hour mark when Plant's header from Walker's cross headed goalwards only for Trought to produce a stunning clearance from right under his own bar. And within five minutes this intervention was made even more vital as City drew level. Gosling's free-kick was headed back across goal by Milsom where Eaton pounced to score against his former club. Cleverley and Eaton both saw chances come and go to complete the turnaround and for the third time in the match Newport scored against the run of play. The 78th minute saw Shephard's deep cross pick out Eckhardt and his header beat Bryant at his near post. The Welsh side must have believed they had finally broken City's resistance only for the Romans to stage a remarkable finale to the game. Another weaving Gosling run carried him into the Newport area where he drew a challenge from Clark and went down under it. The referee rightly pointed straight to the spot and the same player got up and sent Mountain the wrong way. Before the City's fans had finished celebrating they saw their side grab the winning goal. Eaton chased the ball down the left flank. In the manner of Shephard six minutes earlier he sent in a deep cross where Frankie Bennett was waiting unmarked to power a header past Mountain and send City into Christamas in a much happier frame of mind. Now just bring on Chippenham.